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Ontario Corn Yield Challenge winners announced

Jan. 12, 2012, Chatham, ON – Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, announced at an evening celebration held in London, Ontario last night the winners of its second annual ‘Ontario Corn Yield Challenge’ (OCYC). The 11 seed growers with top-performing Pioneer brand hybrids accepted their awards in front of the more than 250 attendees and shared their unique agronomic practices. Growers from across Ontario spent the evening networking, sharing tips and celebrating harvest results.

The 2011 edition of the OCYC marked the second year for the Pioneer event with over 338 corn growers participating in the contest, up significantly from the 270 participants in the first year.

“The OCYC provides Pioneer corn growers a forum for some healthy competition and camaraderie. They clearly met the challenges of the 2011 growing season head on and produced fantastic yields,” says Ian Grant, president Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. “Pioneer offers the strongest seed genetics in Canada and the trusted agronomic advice to put the right product on the right acre, helping farmers maximize their profit.”

The 11 winners, 10 grain corn growers and one corn silage producer, represent different territories across Ontario. Teun and Ben DeBeer of Mount Elgin, Ontario achieved 35.7 tons-per-acre in silage with Pioneer hybrid 34A85 containing the Roundup Ready Corn 2 trait.

The 10 high-yielding grain corn growers all surpassed the 235 bushel-per-acre mark. Although there is no overall winner because of differences in heat unit regions, the highest yield attained was 313 bu/ac by Randy Vandenheede of Judge Family Farms in Simcoe, Ontario, growing Pioneer hybrid P0216HR containing the Herculex I, LibertyLink and Roundup Ready Corn 2 traits – a 3100 heat unit hybrid.

The highest yield in the 2012 Ontario Corn Yield Challenge was attained was 313 bu/ac by Randy Vandenheede of Judge Family Farms in Simcoe, Ontario.

Pioneer makes significant investments in corn research each year and the OCYC is one way the company is collaborating with growers to further increase research initiatives. The data collected will be used by Pioneer researchers to help improve the yield potential of hybrids and by agronomists and sales representatives to improve the yield per acre in growers’ fields.

All eleven winners of the Ontario Corn Yield Challenge receive a trip for two to the Commodity Classic in Nashville, Tennessee – March 1-3, 2012. http://www.commodityclassic.com/

The full winners were:

1) Judge Family Farms – Randy Vandenheede – Simcoe, Ontario – 313.4 bu/ac – Pioneer brand P0216HR
2) Triple L Farms – Joe Lacey – Thedford, Ontario – 286.2 bu/ac – Pioneer brand 35F40

3) Jilaman Farms – Jim Soetemans – Watford, Ontario – 270.7 bu/ac – Pioneer brand 35F40

4) Ridge Valley Farms – Chris and Mark Boersma — Ridgetown, Ontario – 256.7 bu/ac – Pioneer brand 35F40

5) Hart Acre Farms – Herb Hart — Napanee, Ontario – 255.1 bu/ac – Pioneer brand P0448XR

6) Shade Oak Swine Ltd. – Arnold Ypma – Tillsonburg, Ontario – 253 bu/ac – Pioneer brand P0474HR

7) Blythe Brae Farms Ltd. – Sharon Hart – Tavistock, Ontario – 246.9 bu/ac – Pioneer® brand P9910XR

8) Schouten Corner View Farm – Chris Schouten – Richmond, Ontario – 242.7 bu/ac – Pioneer brand P9623HR

9) Highview Holsteins Ltd. – Carl Evans – Port Perry, Ontario – 239.8 bu/ac – Pioneer brand 38N88

10) Bryan Lillycron– Puslinch, Ontario – 235.8 bu/ac – Pioneer brand 38N88

Silage Winner

1. Teun & Ben DeBeer – Mt. Elgin, Ontario – 35.7 tons/ac – Pioneer brand 34A85

Ontario corn growers can enter the 2012 OCYC by contacting their local Pioneer sales representative.

Established in 1946, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited is Canada’s premier seed company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business. Pioneer Hi-Bred International (www.pioneer.com), 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 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.