Growers Planting Pioneer® Brand Sorghum Hybrids Win Majority of National NSP Categories

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec 6, 2006 – Growers planting Pioneer® brand sorghum hybrids recently won 10 of the 15 national categories in the 2006 National Sorghum Producers’ (NSP) Yield and Management Contest. All of these growers won with Pioneer sorghum hybrid 84G62.

Farmers growing Pioneer sorghum hybrids finished first place in two of the five national contest segments. First-, second- and third-place national honors were awarded in each segment with growers planting Pioneer sorghum hybrids, winning more than two-thirds of those placings.

In addition, growers winning both "bin-buster" 2006 championships also planted Pioneer sorghum hybrid 84G62. They were Ki Gamble, Kiowa County, Kan., with 179.63 bushels per acre in the irrigated class and Jon Robnett from Audrain County, Mo., with 177.19 bushels per acre in the non-irrigated class. NSP contest winners are awarded based on their ability to exceed established USDA yield average for the county where the contest field is grown; the "bin-buster" awards are given to the actual highest yield gained in irrigated and non-irrigated categories.

The NSP Yield and Management Contest is an annual competition among sorghum producers with the goal of producing the highest yields. Growers compete within a broad range of sorghum production classes, including conventional-till irrigated, conventional-till non-irrigated, mulch-till non-irrigated, no-till non-irrigated and reduced-till irrigated.

In addition to national placings, growers planting Pioneer sorghum hybrids also captured a majority of the state awards. Among state winners, growers planting Pioneer sorghum hybrids won 78 percent of the first-place awards and also 78 percent of all category placements.

A breakout of state winners who planted Pioneer sorghum hybrids is:

• Conventional-till irrigated – 6 of 8 state places
  (5 of 6 first places)
• Conventional-till non-irrigated – 18 of 21 state places
  (9 of 10 first places)
• Mulch-till non-irrigated – 10 of 16 state places
  (6 of 10 first places)
• No-till non-irrigated – 23 of 27 state places
  (13 of 16 first places)
• Reduced-till irrigated – 4 of 6 state places
  (2 of 3 first places)

"We’re pleased to see the outstanding results growers achieved in the NSP contest this year," says Clive Holland, Pioneer sorghum marketing manager. "The attentive management practices of these growers, along with strong performing products, led to their success. Having the majority of the top-yielding hybrids in this contest shows the advantages Pioneer products bring to the financial bottom line of sorghum producers."

National and state winners will be recognized Jan. 14-16, 2007, at the 2007 National Sorghum Producers and Southern Seed Association Conference in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.

Details about individual winners can be found on the Pioneer website. For more information about the broad range of top-producing Pioneer products, growers should contact their local Pioneer sales professional.

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-based products and services 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 and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

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12/6/2006

® Registered trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Contact:
Jerry Harrington
800-247-6803, ext. 6908