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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
Gary Bradley, 636-733-9004
bradley@ncga.com
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Jerry Harrington, 515-334-6908
jerry.harrington@pioneer.com
National
Corn Growers Association, Pioneer Hi-Bred Sign Letter of Intent
To Provide Ethanol Rapid Assay to Industry
(ST. LOUIS) June
7, 2004 – In
a move toward providing the ethanol industry with a standard platform
for measuring the fermentation characteristics
of corn, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc., today signed a letter of intent for Pioneer to
donate a tool designed to quickly quantify the ethanol yield potential
of corn grain in the dry-grind process.
The technology will allow corn growers to provide grain that could
improve the efficiency of ethanol plants and also will allow the seed
industry access to a single standardized calibration with which to
measure corn hybrid ethanol potential.
“With so many new ethanol plants coming online, the ethanol
industry is moving to a whole new level,” said NCGA Corn Board
member Bill Horan. “At the same time, however, there is the potential
for multiple measuring systems. One standardized platform would be
a key step toward optimizing the efficiency of those plants.”
NCGA intends to enter a licensing agreement with Pioneer, in which
the seed company would provide its High Total Fermentable (HTF) Rapid
Assay technology for use by the corn industry. The whole-grain near
infrared (NIR) rapid assay from Pioneer is the first analytical tool
developed that enables the seed and ethanol industries to predict the
potential value of corn for ethanol production. Additionally, growers
will benefit by having a tool that helps them manage corn sales in
a new way.
Pioneer would provide
NCGA a royalty-free license to the company’s
HTF calibration and related data. This license would include rights
to sublicense and use the data in future calibrations. NCGA would coordinate
all activities related to establishing a single grain assay standard
that is accurate and fair for corn growers and the ethanol industry.
“Our intent is to improve the profitability of corn growers
and the seed and ethanol industries by accelerating the acceptance
of a standard that is accurate and fair,” said Horan. “This
is good news for U.S. corn growers and the growing ethanol industry.”
“The dry-grind ethanol industry is rapidly expanding and providing
a growing marketplace for U.S. corn growers and their products,” said
Diane Bridgewater, vice president, business director, Pioneer. “Pioneer
is very excited about working with NCGA to provide this technology.
We feel accurate grain quality standards will benefit both growers
and the ethanol industry.”
Dry grind ethanol plants would be able to license from NCGA an industry
standard calibration for measurement of grain with HTF. This measurement
would allow ethanol plants to source grain with a higher potential
ethanol yield, improving the efficiency and profitability of these
plants. Grain elevators would also be able to license the calibration
from NCGA, allowing the elevator to source grain that has potential
to provide improved ethanol yield to the ethanol plants those elevators
serve.
According to the letter of intent, NCGA would coordinate activities
with other seed company providers, relevant trade and industry associations,
ethanol producers, grain purchasers and equipment vendors and appropriate
government agencies. In addition, NCGA would set and collect royalty
payments from third parties for licensed access to the calibration.
NCGA also would oversee relationships with research and testing laboratories
and establish a technical oversight committee to review all calibration
upgrades. On an ongoing basis, hybrids will be collected and reviewed,
and necessary modifications will be made to the calibration in order
to maintain accuracy in this standard platform.
NCGA and Pioneer hope to announce the formal agreement in mid-summer.
Further program activities will be announced as they develop.
The National Corn
Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn
growers in a changing world and to enhance corn’s
profitability and usage. NCGA represents nearly 33,000 members, 25
affiliated state corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands
of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs. More information
on NCGA can be found at www.ncga.com.
Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont, is the world’s leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock
producers and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des
Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics, crop
protection solutions and quality crop systems to customers in nearly
70 countries. DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont
puts science to work by solving problems and creating solutions that
make people’s lives better, safer and easier. Operating in more
than 70 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and
services to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics,
communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation
and apparel.
The National
Corn Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn’s
profitability and usage. NCGA represents more than 33,000 members,
25 affiliated state corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands
of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs.
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