DeKalb Genetics Corp., a subsidiary of Monsanto Co., faces at least $65 million in damages and penalties as a result of a federal court jury which has found the company infringed on a genetic technology patent owned by Rhone-Poulenc Agro.

The jury on Wednesday upheld Rhone-Poulenc Agro's patent which was used by DeKalb in its
development and sale of Roundup Ready(R) corn. The jury also found DeKalb misappropriated
trade secrets when it transferred Rhone-Poulenc Agro's technology to Monsanto and commercialized Roundup Ready corn.

While the jury added no additional punitive damages to the $50 million awarded by a jury in
April, presiding U.S. District Judge N. Carlton Tilley will consider awarding additional damages
against DeKalb for willfulness of the patent infringement.

Rhone-Poulenc said today following the conclusion of the suit that it will seek an injunction
against the sale of DeKalb's Roundup Ready corn seed for next year's growing season.

In April a jury found DeKalb had fraudulently induced Rhone-Poulenc Agro to license genetic
technology that imparted glyphosate tolerance in Roundup Ready corn and awarded
Rhone-Poulenc a total of $65 million in damages.

Rhone-Poulenc filed suit against DeKalb and Monsanto in 1997 claiming that the Roundup
Ready corn seed was created from genetic material invented by Rhone-Poulenc. The lawsuit
established Rhone-Poulenc's ownership of glyphosate tolerance traits in DeKalb's Roundup
Ready corn and prohibited further usage without a license.

Rhone-Poulenc Agro, based in Lyon, France, is a global leader in crop protection products and
technology. It is also a subsidiary of Rhone-Poulenc S.A. (NYSE: RP - news), a global life
sciences company, growing through innovations in human, plant and animal health and through its specialty chemicals subsidiary, Rhodia. With 19998 sales of $14.8 billion (FF86.8 billion), the
company employs 65,000 people in 160 countries.

Roundup Ready is a trademark of Monsanto Co.

Company news release
N1844