Ovid, Michigan
August 26, 2003  

Great Lakes Hybrids (GLH) today held its 2003 Michigan Technology Showcase at its headquarters in Ovid, Michigan with nearly 300 participants from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. The event, entitled “Breaking Your Yield Barriers,” featured a session on the current soybean aphid epidemic.

Christina DiFonzo, Michigan State University Entomologist and a leading national expert on soybean issues, presented a status report on the Asian pest to showcase participants.

 “This is the worst and most widespread infestation of the soybean aphid we’ve seen since the pest first appeared in 2000,” she explained. “The economic impact this year is still unknown. We have a number of tests going on in the fields and hope to know more by winter.”

DiFonzo pointed out that the aphid has an 18-generation lifespan in one season, which makes it difficult to apply insecticides effectively. She also warned farmers that no matter the solution, it will likely result in higher costs for seed treatments and insecticides.

GLH Soybean Product Manager Mitch Ray cited numerous collaborations underway to address the problem. He also emphasized it will take time for treatments to be researched and worked into soybean seed.

“Universities are scrambling to find out more about the aphid and how it can be destroyed,” he said. “They’re partnering with seed companies, chemical companies and other agricultural experts to find solutions that will protect future crops.”

Both Ray and DiFonzo directed farmers to contact an MSU Extension office, their local elevator, or a seed or technology rep for more information.

The purpose of Great Lakes’ biannual agronomy event was to showcase new research in the areas of corn breeding, herbicide and pest control, and yield management. Program highlights included tours of the GLH test plots and educational sessions on corn breeding techniques, YieldGard®, Mustang Max®, Capture® and Poncho™ pest control products. Speakers represented Monsanto/Corn States, FMC, Great Lakes Hybrids and its parent company, AgReliant Genetics.

With the third-largest corn research program in the United States, Great Lakes Hybrids sees the event as an important opportunity to showcase its award-winning hybrid technologies and partner with industry experts to help farmers be more profitable.

“Great Lakes Hybrids is a leader when it comes to hybrid research,” said Tex Young, agronomy services director for Great Lakes. “New technology plays a very important role in having a successful farming business. At the Technology Showcase, we have top industry personnel to help each farmer break his or her current yield barrier and increase profits.”

Nationally-renowned Humorist Roger Welsch, a CBS “Sunday Morning” personality and author of “Old Tractors and the Men Who Love Them,” helped add a little humor as the keynoter.

The television personality and author of several books on rural life shared a number of anecdotes and stories from his tenure on the CBS “Sunday Morning” show where he did his now-famous “Postcards From Nebraska” segment. As a wrap-up to a day of learning about new technologies to make them more successful, Welsch offered great praise to his audience.

“Farmers are economists, botanists and chemists,” said Welsch. “There’s nothing more honorable than farming. You’re feeding the world.”

GLH also awarded Ubly, Michigan farmer Kevin Peruski a two-year lease on a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche as the grand prize winner of the company’s “It’s in the Bag” promotion. The program was an instant-win game in which specially marked bags of GLH seed corn contained tickets for the Avalanche or one of 265 other prizes. The 2004 “It’s in the Bag” promotion will feature five trips to Hawaii as the grand prizes. Customers will still need to look in the specially marked bags of GLH seed to see if they’ve won a chance to join GLH in Hawaii in 2005 (prize tickets are attached to the inside of the bag at the sew line).

Great Lakes Hybrids is the largest Michigan-based seed corn supplier and a brand of AgReliant Genetics, LLC. With the industry’s third largest research program, Great Lakes Hybrids and AgReliant Genetics have been able to produce top-performing conventional genetics for incorporation of new transgenic traits. Great Lakes Hybrids has also produced more winners per entry of any other Midwestern seed company in the National Corn Grower’s annual Corn Yield Contest. For the latest information or to find your local dealer, visit www.greatlakeshybrids.com or call 1-800-257-SEED (7333).