Norfolk, Virginia
September 18, 2002

Royster-Clark Inc. announced today that it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Virginia Tech for "Tribute", a new wheat seed variety to be released in 2003.

A statement from Virginia Tech reports that "Tribute…was the top yielding variety in the state in 2002, as well as over the past three years. It also was the top yielder in the no-till test. Tribute has excellent test weight, is shorter than average with good standability, and medium maturity. Tribute is also one of the most day length sensitive varieties available as shown by a plant height of only five inches in March 2002 at Warsaw, VA. Tribute has excellent resistance to powdery mildew, leaf rust, and barley yellow dwarf. It has moderate resistance to stripe rust."

Tribute will be covered by the Plant Variety Protection Act and will be available to producers in 2003.

Royster-Clark is a leading supplier of fertilizers, seeds and crop protection products to customers throughout the eastern half of the nation with over 300 retail outlets and numerous production and distribution points serving agriculture.