Des Moines, Iowa
December 18, 2000

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., will postpone sales of Pioneer® brand corn hybrids that contain a combination of the YieldGard(1) gene and LibertyLink(2) gene for the 2001 growing season to minimize confusion in the marketplace for its customers. Pioneer will continue to market hybrids that individually contain the YieldGard gene and the LibertyLink gene. The hybrids affected by today's announcement include only six of the more than 200 hybrids Pioneer sells in North America.

By removing hybrids with the combined traits from the market, Pioneer reduces one source of grain from the 2001 corn crop that is not yet approved for import into the European Union (EU). These hybrids have both full feed and food approval in all major markets except for the EU. In addition, the YieldGard and LibertyLink corn traits have been approved individually in the EU, just not in combination in a single hybrid.

"As the industry leader, we've chosen to take steps that will help our customers market their grain with confidence in the 2001 growing season,'' said Rick McConnell, president of Pioneer. "We made this move to eliminate a potential point of confusion for our customers. Now, when
purchasing Pioneer brand corn and soybean seed products, they can be assured that all the traits in the seed we market is approved for import as grain around the world.''

Meanwhile, Pioneer will continue to work toward import approval of the stacked-trait hybrids into
the EU, McConnell said. In addition, the company will continue to move forward with registration
of new biotechnology-based products in domestic and international markets.

"This postponement does not diminish our commitment to biotechnology now or in the future,''
said McConnell. "We will redouble our efforts to extend open communications with all members
of the food chain to resolve this on-going issue of import approval and the grain marketing
challenges associated with it.''

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. 

(1) Registered trademark of, and used under license from, Monsanto Company.
(2) Registered trademark of the Aventis Group.

Company news release
N3203