Pioneer brand corn hybrid varieties obtained the highest yield marks in both the Philippines and in the United States in 2004.

Carlos Guevarra, a progressive farmer from Brgy. Anao, Mexico, Pampanga, was recognized twice this year by the national government for his achievement in hybrid corn farming. With his record-high yield of 10.25 metric tons per hectare using Pioneer hybrid 30Y73 with YieldGard corn borer protection, Guevarra was able to make a net profit of more than R500,000 from his 10-hectare farm. He used the profit to expand his agricultural supply business as well as to finance farm inputs. His success story had influenced other farmers to follow his example and had led the province to become one of the fastest adopters of Bt corn in the country.

With his feat, Guevarra was recognized during the Farmers and Fisherfolk Month held at the Department of Agriculture as one of the most successful Bt corn farmers and, later on, he was proclaimed as the 2004 Gawad Saka Awardee for Outstanding Corn Farmer, a prestigious national award for models in the agriculture industy.

Meanwhile in the US, American growers planting Pioneer corn hybrids won 24 out of 27 categories in the 2004 National Corn Growers Association Corn Yield Contest, an annual national competition in the US for the highest yield corn farmers.

Farmers growing Pioneer hybrids finished first in all nine national classes with the highest yield winner David K. Hula of Charles City, Virginia, who planted Pioneer hybrid 30M54 and obtained 339.48 bushels per acre, equivalent to 10.44 metric tons per hectare. It was the second year in a row that Hula had placed first among all contestants. Moreover, Pioneer farmers had dominated the contest for the eighth consecutive year, with multi- awarded farmer Francis Childs of Iowa winning during the first six years.

"We are very thankful to the government, through the Department of Agriculture, for their initiative in recognizing outstanding farmers who can help influence others to aim for higher productivity," said Pioneer Country Manager Jet Parma.