Des Moines, Iowa and Indianapolis, Indiana
January 22, 2003

Grain corn containing the Herculex™ I Insect Protection trait has received regulatory approval for
import into South Korea and South Africa, further expanding the number of key overseas markets accepting grain with this important production trait.

This approval in South Korea covers food use. There is no feed approval requirement there. South Korea is the fifth largest importer of U.S. corn grain, importing 124.7 million bushels in the 2000-01 marketing year, according to the National Corn Growers Association.

The approval in South Africa is for food and feed use.

Corn with the Herculex I trait has already received full food, feed and import approval from Japan, as well as similar approvals in the United States and Canada.

The Herculex I trait, a Bt gene, is the first in a new generation of in-plant insect-protection traits for corn. This family is being developed in a research collaboration between Dow AgroSciences LLC, a world leader in pest control and a growing marketer of seed, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a world leader in seed technology and seed products.

“South Korea is a key overseas export market for U.S. corn grain and this approval is one more piece of good news for growers,” says Bob Iwig, global product development marketing vice president for Pioneer. “This approval – along with the other recent regulatory approvals around the globe, such as in South Africa – shows the growing international acceptance of the safety of grain with the Herculex I trait.”

“There is already great interest and demand among U.S. growers for the advanced insect protection the Herculex I trait provides,” notes Kay Kuenker, corn global business leader at Dow AgroSciences. “We are excited that South Korea and South Africa have gone forward with regulatory approval and expect other key export markets to follow soon.”

The Herculex I technology protects the corn plant from more major insects than other Bt corn products on the market, providing growers with full-season protection against this broader insect spectrum. The Herculex I trait guards against European and southwestern corn borer and expands protection to include black cutworm and fall armyworm. This product also provides tolerance to Liberty® herbicide which controls more than 100 grass and broadleaf weeds on contact.

While Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer pooled their talents to research, develop and seek regulatory approval for the new technology, they will continue to independently market and sell corn hybrids with the Herculex I trait on a competitive basis – Dow AgroSciences through Mycogen Seeds and Triton Genetics and Pioneer within its own brand. Additionally, Dow AgroSciences will license the technology to other seed companies.

Pending regulatory approval in all major world markets, grain from hybrids with the Herculex I trait will be subject to market-channeling and export restrictions.

As part of this collaboration, additional insect protection traits are being developed for other corn pests. The first of these, targeted at corn rootworm, will be launched after completion of research evaluations and regulatory approvals.

Corn products with built-in pest protection are beneficial to farmers and agriculture by protecting plants better than conventional practices, easing farm labor requirements and reducing traditional insecticide treatments.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana is a global leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and contribute to the safety, health and quality of life of the world's growing population. Dow AgroSciences has over 6,000 people in over 50 countries dedicated to its business, and has worldwide sales of approximately US $3 billion. Dow AgroSciences and Mycogen Seeds are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Dow Chemical Company. Mycogen markets grain corn, silage corn and nutritionally enhanced corn seed, as well as sunflower, canola, soybean, alfalfa and sorghum seed through a
distribution system of sales representatives, distributors and retail outlets.

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 in nearly 70 countries. DuPont is a 200-year-old science company offering innovative products, technologies and services that improve the lives of people everywhere. Headquartered in Wilmington, Del., DuPont delivers science-based solutions to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction,
transportation, apparel, home and textiles.

Herculex™ I Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred.
™Herculex is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
®Liberty is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.