Winnipeg, Canada
May 27, 2003

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has called on Monsanto Canada to withdraw its application for an environmental safety assessment of Roundup Ready® wheat (RRW). Monsanto's RRW application is currently before the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In a May 22 letter to Monsanto Canada's President, Peter Turner, the CWB, a farmer-controlled grain
marketing agency, detailed the devastating economic impact the introduction of RRW will have on
western Canadian farmers. "Economic harm could include lost access to premium markets, penalties
caused by rejected shipments, and increased farm management and grain handling costs," the letter
states. The letter is signed by Ken Ritter, chairman of the farmer-controlled board of directors, and
Adrian Measner, President and CEO.

"Monsanto has said in the past it would not introduce RRW unless it was beneficial to farmers," Ritter
said. "Well, there are no benefits. So we're asking Monsanto to put the interests of their customers,
western Canadian farmers, ahead of their own commercial interests and put the brakes on RRW,
before Prairie farmers suffer serious financial consequences."

"Customers in over 80 per cent of our markets have expressed serious reservations about genetically
modified wheat," Measner said. "For us, the customer is always right. We cannot jeopardize our ability
to maximize returns to western Canadian farmers through the introduction of a product our customers
do not want."

The CWB has asked Monsanto to confirm its compliance with the CWB's request by June 27, 2003.

The CWB has already called on the federal government to close the regulatory gap on genetically
modified wheat by adding a cost benefit analysis to the food, feed and environmental assessments
currently being undertaken on RRW.

However, the CWB is taking this additional step because RRW could be approved before the
introduction of any regulatory changes. "Under the current system, RRW could be approved for
unconfined release as early as 2004," Ritter said. "We had to move quickly, so we are appealing to
Monsanto directly."

A copy of the letter to Monsanto Canada is below.

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.

Mr. Peter Turner
President
Monsanto Canada Inc
67 Scurfield Boulevard
Winnipeg MB R3Y 1G4
Fax No.: (204) 488-9599

Dear Mr. Turner:

As you know, the potential release of Roundup Ready® wheat (RRW) remains the cause of
considerable concern for wheat customers, farmers and others. The farmer-controlled Canadian
Wheat Board (CWB) is extremely concerned that the unconfined release of RRW in Canada will result
in significant and predictable economic harm to western Canadian farmers. This harm will occur to
those who adopt the technology and those who do not, as well as to others in the Canadian wheat
value chain.

Economic harm could include lost access to premium markets, penalties caused by rejected
shipments, and increased farm management and grain handling costs. Unfortunately, scientific data
demonstrating the food safety of RRW will not, by itself, prevent this harm. Furthermore, the CWB is
not satisfied that Monsanto's stated commitments regarding commercialization of RRW will
adequately protect the interests of western Canadian farmers and Canada's wheat customers from
this economic harm.

The CWB hereby requests Monsanto withdraw its application to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) for environmental safety assessment of RRW.

It is of the utmost importance that your decision on this request be made as soon as possible in
order to protect the interests of the wheat value chain and to prevent the damages that may result
from the unconfined release of RRW. We ask that you confirm by June 27, 2003 your withdrawal from
the application process.

Yours truly,

Original signed by

Ken Ritter
Chair, CWB Board of Directors

Original signed by

Adrian C. Measner
President and Chief Executive Officer

KR/ag

066-03CH

c: Hugh Grant, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Monsanto Company