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Press Kit

Farmers Excitement Building Around Roundup Ready 2 Yield® Soybeans

New soybean technology on track for 2009 controlled commercial release

St. Louis, Mo. (August 26, 2008) – As the controlled commercial release of Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans draws closer, farmer excitement has been steadily building.

Hundreds of farmers got to see and learn about Roundup Ready 2 Yield Soybeans at technology showcase plots and Mobile Greenhouse events this summer. Elwin Richardson of Snover, Michigan, is one of those farmers. “It looks to me like it’s going to be a healthier plant, and I see the leaves look bigger which means it is going to take on the sunlight, which means more yield in the fall,” said Richardson. “It’s all yield and you don’t have to give up the Roundup Ready soybean system.”

Clifford Tribley of Gaines, Michigan, also expressed his excitement for the second-generation Roundup Ready soybeans. “I looked at all the Roundup Ready 2 Yield plants and the thing that really stuck out to me was the increase in yield and the size of the stalk on them,” said Tribley. “I can’t wait to try them, especially because of the profit potential.”

With the recent regulatory approvals in Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans are right on track for a controlled commercial release on up to 2 million acres in 2009 which will be followed by a full-scale launch planned for 2010.

To date, Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans have received approval in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to these recent approvals, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a positive scientific opinion concluding Roundup Ready 2 Yield is safe for import as food or feed.

“In just a short time, we will be bringing the next generation of Roundup Ready soybean technology to market,” said Dion McBay, Soybean Traits Marketing Lead. “We are excited to give farmers the opportunity to continue to enjoy all the flexibility, dependability and crop safety that they have today in Roundup Ready soybeans, but with enhanced yield opportunity over the first-generation technology.”

McBay added that farmers will be able to easily incorporate Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans into their farming operations. “There’s no change to the Roundup Ready system,” he emphasized. “Farmers will still have the opportunity to use Roundup^® branded herbicides right over the top of the crop to experience exceptional, unsurpassed weed control, which has resulted in greater efficiency and effectiveness for the American soybean farmer.”

Initially, this breakthrough technology will be available primarily in maturity groups 2 and 3, where more than 50 percent of U.S. soybeans are grown. This includes all of Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and Pennsylvania; most of Illinois and Indiana; portions of northern Missouri, Kansas and Maryland; and portions of southern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and South Dakota.

Roundup Ready 2 Yield varieties for 2009 will feature a strong class of genetics from Asgrow^® soybeans, as well as top-performing varieties from other leading soybean brands. Farmers, he said, are encouraged to visit with their local dealers and seed companies regarding the Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean products best suited for their farms.

Science Behind the Seed
According to McBay, there are several reasons why farmers can look to the Roundup Ready 2 Yield system to enable higher yield potential, including:

• Location, location, location – Roundup Ready 2 Yield was developed through extensive gene mapping that allows Monsanto to identify specific DNA regions in soybeans that have a positive impact on yield. Using advanced insertion and selection technologies, the Roundup Ready 2 Yield gene is situated in one of these DNA regions that provide higher yield potential.
  
  
• Proven high-performance – Four years of Monsanto research trials comparing near isogenic lines have demonstrated a consistent yield advantage of 7 to 11 percent for Roundup Ready 2 Yield technology compared with Roundup Ready soybeans. The 4-year average yield increase of Roundup Ready 2 Yield over Roundup Ready was 9 percent.
  
  
• Power in the pod – In over 200 observations, Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean plants produced significantly more 3-bean pods per plant compared to Roundup Ready soybeans. This higher number of 3-bean pods contributes to more beans per plant and therefore higher yield performance.

McBay said he anticipates high demand for the new soybean technology this fall. “In areas that typically average 50 bushels per acres yield, that seven to eleven percent yield advantage translates to 3.5 to 5.5 more bushels per acre,” he noted. “This not only means a huge economic benefit for farmers, but will also help the American soybean industry meet the growing oil demand from the food and biodiesel industries.”

Commitment to Farmer Success
The introduction of Roundup Ready 2 Yield also reflects Monsanto’s commitment to farmer success as a company focused solely on agriculture. “It really all boils down to creating greater success and profitability for their farming operations,” McBay said. “We recognize that we as a company can only be successful when we create success for our farmer customers.”

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For more information, please visit www.monsanto.com.

For more information on Roundup Ready 2 Yield, including photos, audio files, background information, grower testimonials and more, visit: www.RoundupReady2Yield.com.