DuPont Pioneer, Perdue AgriBusiness announce contracting plans for 2016 Pioneer® brand Plenish® high oleic soybeans

DuPont Pioneer and Perdue AgriBusiness announced recently they will increase contracting acreage for the third year for the Pioneer® brand Plenish® high oleic soybean program in 2016. Perdue will again contract with soybean growers in geographies supplying its soybean crush facility in Salisbury, Md. The high oleic soybean oil produced from this program will target several markets, including foodservice and food manufacturing looking for healthier oil alternatives that meet their performance requirements.

For the 2016 growing season, Perdue AgriBusiness will contract with soybean farmers in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania to grow Pioneer® brand soybeans with the Plenish® high oleic trait. In addition to helping to expand adoption of an important new technology that will grow the market for soybean oil, farmers will be eligible for a Perdue incentive for producing and delivering Plenish® high oleic soybeans. Multiple delivery points will be available in contract areas. For contract information, contact your Pioneer sales representative or April Cheesman, Perdue AgriBusiness, at 866-816-7946, or april.cheesman@perdue.com.

"Soybean farmers supplying Perdue have a keen interest in finding new ways to add value to their production and in growing the region’s agricultural industry,” said Randy Minton, DuPont Pioneer business director for the Eastern region. “The solid yield performance of Plenish® high oleic soybean varieties, combined with the added profit opportunity with grain premiums, makes participation in the Perdue program an attractive decision for growers. The plan to increase Plenish® high oleic soybean acres for 2016 comes at a good time, considering the challenges growers face with lower soybean prices.”

"Farmer interest in Plenish® high oleic soybeans continues to grow. We’ve doubled the acres grown each year we’ve offered the Plenish® high oleic soybean program, and we expect to increase the contracted acreage again next year,” said John Ade, Perdue AgriBusiness senior vice president. “By working with DuPont Pioneer on the production of Plenish® high oleic soybeans, we’re generating additional profit opportunities and long-term industry growth for Eastern Shore farmers. In addition, it enables our company to better serve the needs of our downstream oil customers addressing trans fats in food.”

The development and commercialization of Plenish® high oleic soybean oil is a significant milestone for Pioneer efforts to bring product innovation to the soybean value chain. It’s an important example of how biotechnology is being used to develop products with direct food industry and consumer benefit. The oil’s improved fatty acid profile provides a soy-based trans-fat alternative for food companies and foodservice operators. Its enhanced stability provides longer frying life in restaurant applications and longer shelf life in packaged food products.

From a health and nutrition perspective, Plenish® high oleic soybean oil has 0g trans-fat per serving and 20 percent less saturated fat than commodity soybean oil, making it a more attractive ingredient for health conscious consumers of food products.

The Plenish® high oleic soybean varieties are developed by Pioneer using its elite genetics and cutting-edge technologies. Field testing has confirmed yields on par with elite commercial products.

Pioneer has obtained regulatory approvals for Plenish® high oleic soybeans in a number of key U.S. soybean export markets and approvals are pending in additional export markets.