Des Moines, Iowa
December 13, 2000

Growers producing Pioneer® brand corn hybrids won 25 of 27 categories in the 2000 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest. This includes first, second and third place winners among nine classes.

Farmers growing Pioneer hybrids finished in first-place in all nine classes. Among second-place winners, those growing Pioneer hybrids won eight of nine categories and, among third-place winners, growers producing Pioneer hybrids won eight of nine.

Among state winners, growers planting Pioneer hybrids won 373 of 482 categories. Combining national and state winners, those planting Pioneer hybrids won 398 of 507 categories.

The highest yield within the contest was Francis Childs of Manchester, Iowa, who produced Pioneer brand hybrid 34B24 with a yield of 357.3 bushels per acre. Winning in the national AA non-irrigated class, the hybrid contained the YieldGard* gene, providing resistance to European corn borer.

The NCGA Corn Yield Contest is an annual national competition among corn producers with the goal of producing the highest yields. Growers compete within a broad range of nine corn production classes, including conventional, no-till/strip-till non-irrigated, no-till/strip-till irrigated, ridge-till non-irrigated, ridge-till irrigated and irrigated classes.

For more information about Pioneer brand corn hybrids produced by contest winners and the broad range of top producing Pioneer products, growers should contact their local Pioneer products providers. More details about individual winners will be found on the Pioneer Hi-Bred International website at http://www.pioneer.com 

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a DuPont business, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics to farmers worldwide. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer develops, produces and markets a full line of top-quality seeds, forage and grain additives and provides services to customers in nearly 70 countries. DuPont is a science company, delivering science-based solutions that make a difference in people's lives in food and nutrition, health care, apparel, home and construction, electronics and transportation.

For additional company or product information, check the Pioneer worldwide Web site: http://www.pioneer.com  

*Registered trademark of, and used under license from, Monsanto Company.

Company news release
N3196