Syngenta announced today that its US subsidiary Syngenta Seeds, Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto Company and Monsanto Technology LLC to challenge Monsanto’s monopolization of biotechnology corn seed in the US.

This lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court in Delaware and asserts that Monsanto has engaged in a pattern of illegal and improper activities to maintain its monopoly in key corn traits in the US, including Monsanto’s attempts to prohibit Syngenta from competing with GA21, an established and proven glyphosate-tolerant corn trait. These attempts include trying to force seed companies to stop producing GA21 seeds, to destroy GA21 inventories, and to adhere to exclusive dealing contracts.

Syngenta announced its acquisition of GA21 rights on May 12, 2004. It plans to offer the technology through its NK® brand, the Garst and Golden Harvest brands(1), and through licenses with other seed companies for the 2005 growing season.

(1) Subject to the regulatory approval of these acquisitions announced on 12 May and 25 June 2004

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innova-tive research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2003 were approximately $6.6 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).