Atlanta, Indiana
March 24, 2005 

Beck’s Hybrids of Atlanta, Indiana accepted an offer from Dow AgroSciences LLC to be the initial licensee for Herculex™ RW Rootworm Protection and Herculex™ XTRA Insect Protection.  Depending upon EPA registration, Herculex RW is expected to be launched for 2006 and Herculex XTRA launched for 2007.  Beck’s is excited to offer these new combinations of top genetics and insect protection to their customers.

Beck’s views this opportunity as being consistent with their track record of being first to provide leading technologies to their customers.  In 1996, Beck’s was among the first to launch YieldGard^® Corn Borer protection using the Bt11 event.   In subsequent years, Beck’s added YieldGard Corn Borer (MON810 event) and Herculex I Insect Protection as well, making them one of the few, if not the only company where farmers can purchase all three types of corn borer protection.

Tom Hooper, Sales Manager for Beck’s says, “While we currently offer YieldGard Rootworm Corn, our opportunity to offer Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA insect protection products gives our customers one more way to protect their crop from the damaging effects of corn rootworm and European corn borer insects.  These products also add another level of protection by introducing new in-plant insect protection products with different modes of action.”

Herculex I Insect Protection corn is currently a Market Choices™ product with the grain approved for import in Japan as well as other countries but still pending European import approvals.  Accordingly grain from Herculex I must be used domestically or for appropriate export markets.  Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA are also expected to initially be Market Choices products.  

For farmers interested in Herculex RW rootworm protected corn, Beck’s plans to showcase this technology at their Pre-Harvest Field Show, September 8-11, 2005 at their Atlanta, Indiana facility.

Beck's Hybrids is a family-owned seed company that started in 1937.  Beck's markets hybrid seed corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and forages throughout Indiana and in regions of adjacent states.  Beck's has been a leader in their marketing area in providing new seed technologies for their customers. 

™Herculex is a trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC
^®YieldGard is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.
™Market Choices is a certification mark used under license from ASTA.