Pioneer Hi-Bred Breaks Ground on $6 Million Parent Seed Maize Production Plant in Parndorf, Austria

Expansion Brings First Parent Seed Facility to Austria; Strengthens Pioneer Delivery of High-Quality Commercial Seed to Customers.

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, broke ground today on a $6 million maize parent seed production facility in Parndorf, Austria. Locating this parent seed production on the same site where Pioneer commercial seed has been produced for nearly 30 years ensures production efficiencies and utilizes the production expertise of growers in the area.

“Our new maize parent seed production plant in Parndorf will strengthen our ability to meet the increasing product needs of our customers by providing high quality, pure parent seed, said Gyula Kovcs, regional director Pioneer Hi-Bred Europe. As the market leader for hybrid maize seed in Europe, we continue to expand and grow our business to meet the needs of our customers. This investment is an intrinsic part of our European production growth plan to meet the needs of our expanding market and customer base, he said.

As the first parent seed production facility in Austria, the new plant will be located on 10,000 m2 of land in Parndorf and will primarily serve maize growers in Europe. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2011, in time to receive that seasons maize harvest.

“In line with business growth, our investment in our Austrian parent seed production will deliver market-leading quality parent seed, a critical component for producing commercial seed that meets or exceeds our own internal requirements for physiological, genetic and physical purity,” commented Rudolf Kleiner, production manager Pioneer Hi-Bred North Europe. “The end result for our customers is that they take advantage of the full genetic potential of our products,” he added.

Pioneer has been producing maize in Parndorf for nearly 30 years. The Pioneer Seed Quality Laboratory located there has accreditation from the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) to conduct maize and sunflower quality tests and is authorized to issue the International Orange ISTA Certificate. With an accredited seed testing lab on site, Pioneer is able to generate fast and accurate quality testing of parent and commercial seed, which is critical in delivering high-quality seed to our customers.

Pioneer Austria currently employs 133 full-time employees, plus up to 150 seasonal employees and 20 sales agents. The new plant is expected to add another 9 full-time equivalent employees.

This is one of many expansions Pioneer is making to ensure we meet rising demand for our products and help farmers meet the strong global demand for grain. This additional resource represents the commitment by Pioneer to provide better products for the specific needs of our European customers.

Pioneer Hi-Bred (www.pioneer.com), a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the worlds 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 (TM).

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.