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Investor Presentaiton

TESTING, TESTING, TESTING Pioneer has a strong commitment to thorough testing, which begins at the product concept stage and carries through to product commercialization. Pioneer scientists worldwide begin with roughly 130,000 new experimental hybrids each year. To determine which of these new hybrids will perform most consistently in various conditions, researchers use a rigorous Wide Area Testing program. Between the fifth and 10th generations of product development, experimental hybrids go through a series of increasingly extensive yield tests. One might think of this program as the way a student progresses through college. The experimental hybrids enter as "freshmen." In this case, only the top 10 percent from the first season of testing are advanced to make up the "sophomore" class. During the next two years (the sophomore and junior years), hybrids are tested at more and more locations and are challenged with a range of soil types, climate conditions and other pressures, such as insects and disease. At each stage of testing, researchers look for high and stable yields, standability, tolerance to stresses and other traits important to our customers. Only the hybrids that meet strict standards are advanced to the next class until graduation to a commercial product. More than 100 experimental hybrids advance to the "senior" level, but only about 15 to 20 hybrids "graduate" and are commercialized. By the time a PioneerⓇ brand hybrid is offered for sale, it has been tested at more than 1,500 locations and in more than 200 customer fields. This thorough testing system helps develop leading-edge genetics with a total package of traits that customers require.
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