PRODUCTION... 
Pioneer commercial hybrid seed is raised largely by co- 
operating farmers living adjacent to each of the plants. 


Each farmer is under contract ...to plant in isolated fields ... cultivate... 
harvest ... and deliver the corn to the plant... all under the supervision of the 
Pioneer company. 
Each year approximately 10,000 acres are planted for the commercial produc- 
tion of Pioneer for the lowa company. 
Each commercial Pioneer seed field is planted to male and female corn. The 
tassels are left on the male rows... (at least one-fourth of the seed planted) 
...and do not produce hybrid seed. The female rows (not more than three- 
fourths of the rows planted) ... which produce the hybrid seed delivered to the 
seed house... are carefully detasseled. 
The detasseling of commercial 
seed fields is of utmost importance 
in producing quality hybrids. 
During the detasseling season, all 
of the seed fields are covered from 
10 to 15 times... by Pioneer super- 
vised crews. 
Pioneer employs between 2,500 
and 3,000 detasselers—men ... 
women... girls... and boys— 
who work in the commercial seed 
fields during the production sea- 
son. 

