St. Louis, Missouri
February 5, 2008
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced today that it has
received final regulatory approval in Japan, the Philippines and
Taiwan for its second-generation soybean technology, Roundup
Ready 2 Yield™ (MON 89788). These approvals represent
significant progress toward the commercialization of this new
higher-yielding soybean technology.
"Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans are poised to deliver a new
yield advantage to U.S. farmers and pave the way for the
development of stacked-trait offerings in this oilseed crop,"
said Robert T. Fraley, Ph.D., chief technology officer and
executive vice president of Monsanto Company.
"Importantly, this new soybean product is expected to offer
farmers a novel way to get more yield out of a single acre of
land, a critical step as farmers work to meet the growing food
and fuel demands of our world."
Last July, Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans completed the
regulatory process in both the United States and Canada. The
product is currently under scientific review by the European
Food Safety Authority as well as regulatory authorities in China
and other key export markets.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans represent the second-generation
of the company's popular Roundup Ready technology. Four years of
field comparisons have demonstrated that Roundup Ready 2 Yield
soybeans deliver a yield advantage of 7 percent to 11 percent
over the first-generation Roundup Ready offering.
Monsanto is planning a controlled commercial release of Roundup
Ready 2 Yield soybeans on 1 to 2 million acres in 2009. Monsanto
is working closely with the soybean industry to accomplish this
controlled release, which will allow farmers in select
geographies to experience the benefit of the product prior to
the full launch. The company is planning a full-scale launch of
5 to 6 million acres in 2010.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans will serve as the primary
platform for Monsanto's introduction of new soybean trait
technologies, including higher yield, expanded herbicide
tolerance and enhanced oil products. Monsanto expects Roundup
Ready 2 Yield soybeans could serve as the platform for up to
five new stacked trait offerings in soybeans by 2012.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity and food quality. |
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