The European Commission today announced it has approved grain corn with the Herculex® I Insect Protection trait (known as 1507 within the regulatory system) for all food uses. This decision, combined with last year's approval of the trait for animal feed use, paves the way for import of grain and processed products with the Herculex I trait into the 25-nation European Union (EU).

The Commission, in accordance with EU regulations, authorized corn with the Herculex I trait for food use following the EU's own independent scientific review. Final confirmation of the approval process is expected shortly and, at that time, EU import of corn with the Herculex I trait for all food, feed and processing purposes can begin.

With this EU decision, grain with the Herculex I trait will no longer be sold under the Market Choices™ certification mark, identifying products approved for food and feed use in the U.S. and Japan but not the EU, facilitating appropriate market-channeling.

"This is fantastic news for corn growers in North America," says Dean Oestreich, president of Pioneer. "Growers can sell grain with the Herculex I trait to all buyers because it removes the last major overseas market restriction for Herculex I and frees exporters to market products with this trait around the globe. This approval also shows the growing acceptance of the safety and benefits of products developed through biotechnology."

Herculex I was developed in a research collaboration between Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont, and Dow AgroSciences LLC. It offers broad in-plant insect protection against European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, western bean cutworm, black cutworm and fall armyworm.

"Herculex I has brought corn growers a new, broader-spectrum choice for in-plant insect protection, a choice that growers have widely adopted," says Stan Howell, North America RCU Leader, with Dow AgroSciences. "Now with EU approval, managing grain marketing activities throughout the channel are far easier, ensuring an even greater grower adoption."

The EU approval of Herculex I applies only to grain importation and does not include approval of hybrids with the Herculex I trait for cultivation in EU countries. That approval is currently being sought. Herculex I is part of a family of traits developed for corn growers within the Pioneer/Dow AgroSciences research collaboration.

Other products currently offered in the U.S. market include Herculex® RW Rootworm Protection and Herculex® XTRA Insect Protection. Herculex RW provides in-plant protection against northern, western and Mexican corn rootworm; Herculex XTRA combines the protection benefits of Herculex I and Herculex RW, making it the broadest in-plant insect protection on the market.

The EU decision does not include Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA, nor does it allow import of grain stacked with both the Herculex I and Roundup Ready® Corn 2 traits. These other traits and combinations have not yet been approved for import into the EU. EU approval of these traits and stacks is expected in the future.

All Herculex Insect Protection products provide tolerance to Liberty® herbicide, which controls more than 100 grass and broadleaf weeds on contact, expanding the weed control options available to growers.

While Pioneer and Dow AgroSciences pooled their talents to research and seek regulatory approval for the new technologies, they independently market and sell products with the Herculex I trait on a competitive basis -- Pioneer within its own brand, and Dow AgroSciences through Mycogen Seeds, the retail seed brand of Dow AgroSciences, and other licensed seed companies.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top tier agricultural company providing innovative crop protection, seeds, and biotechnology solutions to serve the world's growing population. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, global sales for Dow AgroSciences are $3.4 billion. Dow AgroSciences and Mycogen Seeds are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Dow Chemical Company. Mycogen, the retail seed brand of Dow AgroSciences, markets grain corn, silage corn and nutritionally enhanced corn seed, as well as sunflower, canola, soybean, alfalfa and sorghum seed through an extensive network of dealers across the United States.

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 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.
Market Choices™ is a certification mark used under license from ASTA.
Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto.
®Liberty is a registered trademarks of Bayer AG.