18 December 2000

Pioneer postpones 6 hybrids for 2001 that aren't cleared in EU

by Roger Bernard

  from Pro Farmer

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., will postpone sales of six
Pioneer(R) brand corn hybrids that contain a combination of the 
YieldGard(1) gene and LibertyLink(2) gene for the 2001 growing season. 
In a statement, the firm says the move is 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.

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.

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