DuPont Raises Agricultural Seed Share Gains Further

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont (NYSE: DD) today announced that its 2010 North America agricultural seed market share for its Pioneer Hi-Bred business has risen to 35 percent for corn and to 31 percent for the soybean seed market.

"The revised numbers are consistent with the positive feedback we hear from customers," said Paul E. Schickler, president – Pioneer Hi-Bred.  "With the strong value we are delivering to growers, Pioneer has the opportunity for additional share gains in 2011 in both corn and soybeans."

After finalizing the 2010 season this past quarter and taking into account recently released U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, Pioneer increased its North America corn market share by three points in corn and five points in soybeans, up from the two points and four points, respectively, which were reported earlier this year.  The market share gains in soybeans remain evenly split between the Pioneer® brand and PROaccess(SM) business unit brands.  In corn, one point of share gains came from the Pioneer® brand and two from PROaccess(SM).

"As harvest winds down, Pioneer customers continue to report consistent, solid product performance, especially from the new class of hybrids introduced in 2010 and Y series soybeans," Schickler said. "Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 products also are demonstrating strong yield performance.

"Our multi-year strategy -- focused on strengthening research, points of sale and agronomic support -- is paying off for Pioneer and, more importantly, growers are seeing the results in their fields," said Schickler.

In 2011, growers will continue to have new choices including Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 products, new hybrids with strong agronomic packages and expanded choices within the Y Series soybean line-up, utilizing Pioneer's proprietary genetic breeding tools.

Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 products are the industry's first in-the-bag corn rootworm refuge solution that offers growers increased convenience, reduced refuge and an additional tool for maximizing field-by-field productivity. This innovative solution for insect refuge management recently was granted registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and eliminates the need for separate rootworm refuge while increasing the ease and flexibility of planting the corn borer refuge.

These advances are contributing to DuPont's efforts to increase food production for a growing global population.

Pioneer Hi-Bred (www.pioneer.com), a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries.  Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success™.

DuPont (www.dupont.com) 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 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Forward-Looking Statements:  This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections.  The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments or new information.  All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements.  Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "projects," "indicates," and similar expressions.  These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in DuPont's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated.  These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance, and seasonality of sales of agricultural products.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, Pioneer®, PROaccess(SM), Optimum® and AcreMax™ are registered trademarks, trademarks or service marks of DuPont or its affiliates.

SOURCE DuPont