The broadest in-plant insect protection available today is available for key import market

Dean Oestreich, president, DuPont subsidiary Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., issued the following statement on the announcement of final Japanese approval of Herculex® RW and Herculex® XTRA Insect Protection:

"Today's approval of Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA in Japan is great news for North American growers, who are looking to take advantage of the Herculex family of traits and Pioneer® brand products. Farmers can plant seed with confidence that it will be accepted in this key export market. Pioneer ramped up production of Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA by growing seed in South America to support the 2006 customer needs in the U.S. and Canada and we are well positioned to meet our customers' needs today."

"This approval means that grain produced from hybrids with the Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA (Herculex I and Herculex RW) traits are approved for import into Japan, a key market for North American corn growers, as well as the Herculex RW/Roundup Ready® Corn 2 and Herculex XTRA/Roundup Ready Corn 2 stacks.

"At Pioneer, we vigorously mine our research efforts and product development opportunities to continually provide our customers with higher levels of protection and value. Pioneer has the richest product pipeline in our history. We have the high-performing genetics, new technologies and the know-how to drive value for our customers."

Herculex XTRA contains both the Herculex I Insect Protection and Herculex RW Rootworm Protection traits. Herculex I protects the corn plant against European and southwestern corn borer, western bean cutworm, black cutworm and fall armyworm and Herculex RW protects the plant against western, northern and Mexican corn rootworm. This means that Herculex XTRA guards against a broader range of insects than other competitive products now available to growers. Also, the corn rootworm trait provides excellent root protection and dramatically reduces adult rootworm emergence.

Herculex RW also has received regulatory approvals for import into Mexico, Taiwan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand, plus full food, feed and cultivation approvals in Canada. And Herculex XTRA has received approvals for import into Australia and New Zealand, plus full food, feed and cultivation approvals in Canada. However, because European Union import approval is not expected in time for the 2006 harvest, Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA will be Market Choices® products. Grain containing either product must be fed on-farm, used domestically, or delivered to elevators or other markets where neither the grain nor its processed products (e.g. gluten) will be shipped to the EU. Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer also continue to seek import approvals for other important U.S. export markets.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont, is the world's leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock producers, and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics, crop protection solutions, and quality crop systems to customers. DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

Herculex® Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ® Herculex is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
® Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company.
® Market Choices is a registered certification mark used under license from ASTA.