Oct. 12 2011 07:21 AM

Pioneer Hi-Bred Expands Crop Product Development and Testing for Local Needs

DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred today announced plans to expand its presence in central Iowa with a new research facility in Dallas Center. This is one of the many recent investments the company is making to support local product development to help farmers increase productivity.

The new 50,000 square foot facility will help support corn breeding and product development, and corn and soybean product testing and characterization for farmers in western and central Iowa, eastern Nebraska and northwest Missouri.

"This investment in local product development and testing reinforces our commitment to help farmers get the right product on the right acre to maximize productivity," said John Soper, Pioneer vice president, Crop Genetics Research and Development. "It's one of the many investments we are making to deliver innovative solutions to farmers locally and help to respond to the challenges of feeding a growing population."

Local product development trials for the Pioneer IMPACT™ plot program also will be managed out of the new facility. IMPACT™ plots provide testing of multiple products at the last stage before they are advanced for sale to growers.

Construction of the new facility is scheduled to begin this month with occupancy anticipated in late spring 2012.

Pioneer has had a research location in Dallas Center since 2004. The location currently houses a global molecular marker lab, laser-assisted seed selection, IMPACT™, and corn and soybean product development.

"As we have expanded the size and scope of our product development efforts, we have outgrown the size of our existing facility," said Soper. "This expansion will enable us to develop improved products from a state-of-the-art, technology enabled facility."

The new Dallas Center research facility is one of the many investments Pioneer is making to expand its research presence in Iowa. Construction is currently underway on a new $40 million research facility in Johnston that will include space for 400 new positions. Pioneer also is in the midst of a $32 million greenhouse and research facility renovation and expansion project that will include space for 100 new full-time positions by the end of 2014. In addition, Pioneer opened a new corn research center in Orange City, Iowa, earlier this year to expand product development and testing for farmers in northwest Iowa and surrounding areas.

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 (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. 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 documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by DuPont, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q, 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, including inflation, interest and foreign currency exchange rates, of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including restructuring plans, acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; cost of raw materials, research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance; seasonality of sales of agricultural products; and severe weather events that cause business interruptions, including plant and power outages, or disruptions in supplier and customer operations. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments or new information.

10.12.2011