St. Louis, Missouri
September 4, 2008
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced today it has received
regulatory approval in China for the importation of Roundup
Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans. China imports accounted for
approximately 38 percent of U.S. soybean exports in 2007, making
it the largest purchaser of U.S. soybeans. This approval is a
significant step forward in the commercialization of this
highly-anticipated soybean technology.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield is the only second-generation
biotechnology trait in soybeans to achieve regulatory approvals
in the United States and key export markets like China,
propelling it to be first to market with 2009 commercial sales.
It is also the first in a series of game-changing technology
platforms Monsanto is poised to launch for soybeans, corn and
cotton.
"Farmer excitement around Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans is
building and China regulatory approval demonstrates the
acceptance of this product on a global level," said Brett
Begemann, Monsanto's executive vice president of global
commercial business. "Monsanto spoke with tens of thousands of
farmers at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa last week and at
numerous other field days around the Midwest this summer, and
the biggest thing we've heard is they need more yield from
soybeans. We're proud we will be able to deliver the first
step-change in yield through our Roundup Ready 2 Yield
technology and that the launch of this product is right around
the corner."
Johnny Dodson, a soybean producer from Halls, Tenn. and first
vice president of the American Soybean Association applauded the
news. "China's approval of the Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean
prior to the 2009 seed-buying season is welcome news to U.S.
soybean farmers," Dodson said. "Timely overseas regulatory
approvals are critical because growers have rapidly adopted new
biotech-enhanced seed varieties as they became available.
"Last year China purchased more than $4 billion worth of
soybeans from the United States, and as the standard of living
continues to rise for the Chinese, so will the demand for our
soybeans. Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans are one of the key
technologies that are going to help U.S. farmers meet the
world's growing demand for food, feed and fuel made from U.S.
soybeans," he added.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans are the second generation of the
popular Roundup Ready® technology farmers have used in soybeans
since 1996. This product offers the same effective weed control,
simplicity and flexibility benefits of the Roundup Ready system
and it significantly increases soybean yield potential.
In four years of testing, Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans have
demonstrated a consistent yield advantage of 7 to 11 percent
over Roundup Ready soybeans.
The four-year average yield increase of Roundup Ready 2 Yield
over its first-generation counterpart was 9 percent.
Monsanto's Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans will be introduced on
1 to 2 million acres for the 2009 season as part of a controlled
commercial release, followed by a large-scale product launch of
five to six million acres scheduled for 2010.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans have been approved as safe for
food and feed in nine countries and regions -- the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines,
Australia, New Zealand and China. These countries import more
than 70 percent of U.S. soybean exports, providing U.S. farmers
access to a broad market. In addition to the approvals, Monsanto
recently announced the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has
issued a positive scientific opinion concluding Roundup Ready 2
Yield is safe for import as food and feed.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity and food quality.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS.
When Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans are made available for
commercial release and use, they will be subject to Monsanto
Company's comprehensive stewardship plans consistent with its
Stewardship Policy for Commercialization of
Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybean seed and any product of a Roundup
Ready 2 Yield™ soybean seed or crop can only be exported to, or
used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary
regulatory approvals have been granted.
It is a violation of national and international law to move
material containing biotech traits across boundaries into
nations where import is not permitted. Roundup Ready® crops
contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active
ingredient in Roundup® agricultural herbicides.
Roundup agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not
glyphosate tolerant. Roundup Ready® and Roundup Ready 2 Yield™
are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Deltapine® is a
trademark of D&PL Technology Holding Company LLC. |
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