SPECIAL PRODUCT & SERVICE INFORMATION

INSECT RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT

Lewis Hybrids Specialty Products

IRM Requirements for YieldGard VT Triple

COMMON REFGE REQUIREMENTS

On each farm, up to 80 percent of corn acres can be planted with YieldGard VT Triple corn. The refuge area must represent at least 20 percent of the grower's total corn acres. The refuge must be within or adjacent to the YieldGard Plus or YieldGard VT Triple field and can be planted as a block, strips within the field, or as a perimeter around the field. If perimeter or infield strips are used for the refuge, the strips must be at least four consecutive rows wide.

SEPARATE REFUGE

For selected farms in the western corn growing region that typically have high levels of corn borer infestation, there could be significant yield risk associated with planting a common refuge for YieldGard VT Triple. In these situations a second refuge is available to growers: planting a separate refuge of corn borers and a separate refuge for corn rootworms. The corn rootworm refuge must represent at least 20 percent of the grower's total corn acres. The corn borer refuge must represent at least 20 percent of the grower's total corn borer-protected areas. Under this option, the corn borer refuge can be treated with a foliar insecticide if economic thresholds are met; the YieldGard VT Triple field would NOT have to be treated in a similar manner under this option. The corn rootworm refuge can be protected from corn borer damage by planting a B.t. corn borer-protected product (e.g., YieldGard Corn Borer). This separate refuge option provides flexibility to manage corn borers.

Lewis Hybrids Specialty Products

Seed Stewardship

Developing a new biotech trait requires 7-10 .years and $50-100 million in research and development. Patents help preserve that investment and seed trait value for all growers.

The National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy (NCFAP) estimates biotech traits in eight major crops have incrementally increased the value to growers. The NCFAP estimates grower benefits from biotechnology in 2005 included:

Incremental yield increase of 8.3 billion pounds
Reduction in production costs of $1.4 billion
Reduction in pesticide use by 69.7 million pounds
A net economic impact of $2.0 billion
Economic benefits in all 42 states where biotech crops were grown
Pesticide reductions were greatest in
- Corn - 29 million pounds
- Soybeans - 21 million pounds
Biotech corn produced 366 million gallons of ethanol

Growers increasingly recognize the environmental benefits of biotech crops:

Easier to employ no-till production practices
Soil is undisturbed
Less erosion, pesticide and water runoff
24/7 in-plant protection