Monsanto Press Room

Online Insect Forecast Tool Helps Farmers Implement Integrated Pest Management Practices in Corn

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:43:00 -0500

May 24, 2013

ST. LOUIS (May 23, 2013) – As farmers across the Corn Belt continue to battle above- and below-ground insect pests year after year, a comprehensive integrated pest management approach is key to maximizing yield potential, especially in corn-on-corn environments.

“Integrated pest management is about taking a comprehensive look at how you are managing yield-robbing pests in your field. Measuring insect pressure helps growers think forward, making more informed pest management decisions for the following year about their seed choice and agronomic practices,” says Monsanto Corn Insect Traits Manager Luke Samuel.

The Insect Forecast Tool can help farmers understand their current pest pressure and make more accurate predictions for the following year. Farmers can log on to www.insectforecast.com to learn when corn rootworm larvae are hatching, and to track the migration and moth flights of two damaging above-ground insects, corn earworm and western bean cutworm, throughout the growing season. With online and mobile access, this tool is useful to better understand when potential root damage may occur and to help farmers with their scouting efforts.

Samuel says the tool is both simple and effective, “Scouting and understanding pest pressure is critical to maximizing yield potential. Using the Insect Forecast tool is a convenient way for farmers to understand the insect pressure in their areas and help know when to scout their fields.” Samuel adds that scouting this year, can help maximize yield potential in next year’s crop, “Each field experiences different insect pressure, and to get more corn per acre, farmers need to have a solid understand of the level of pressure and type of pests they are dealing with in order to choose the best corn traits to address those challenges.”

Farmers in the Corn Belt can sign up at www.insectforecast.com to receive email alerts from May through September to learn when these insects pose a risk in their area. In 2012, more than 5,000 farmers visited the Insect Forecast site to identify when damage may occur to their corn crop and to make vital decisions for the following year.

Developed by climatologist and meteorologist Mike Sandstrom, the Insect Forecast tool analyzes moth trapping data and weather patterns to issue one, two and three-to-five day forecasts for corn earworm and western bean cutworm. The corn rootworm hatch is updated weekly and is based on soil temperature and Growing Degree Days across the Corn Belt. The Insect Forecast tool is being sponsored for the fourth year by Monsanto and offered to farmers by its Genuity® brand.

The Genuity® family of corn traits available to farmers in the Corn-Growing Area includes Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete® corn blend with multiple modes of action for protecting against above- and below-ground insects, including full-season corn rootworm control for corn-on-corn acres and other areas of high corn rootworm pressure; Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® corn blend with dual modes of action for above-ground insect control, including maximum corn earworm protection; and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete® corn blend with dual modes of action for above-ground insects and a single mode of action for below-ground insect protection in areas that experience light to moderate corn rootworm pressure. All of these products offer the simplicity and convenience of a single bag option for refuge management in the Corn-Growing Area.

For more information on Genuity corn traits, farmers can contact their seed representative or visit www.genuity.com.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

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Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product 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. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.

IMPORTANT IRM INFORMATION: RIB Complete® corn does not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete®, Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete® are blended seed corn products. See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. DEKALB®, Asgrow®, Genuity and Design®, Genuity®, RIB Complete and Design®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, SmartStax®, VT Double PRO®, and VT Triple PRO® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of Bayer. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

Summer Learning Opportunities Preview the Latest in Crop Protection Practices, Technologies

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:05:00 -0500

May 17, 2013

ST. LOUIS (May 17, 2013) – Farmers throughout the country will have many opportunities to attend learning events this summer as the industry pushes for more education on diversified weed management practices (DWMPs) and insight into the seed, trait and herbicide technologies expected to soon become available.

A greater number of in-field, educational events in 2013 reflects the motivation of academics, farmers, manufacturers and retailers to get ahead of the learning curve for using new weed management technologies before the products enter the marketplace.

“Looking back to the mid-1990s, the introduction of Roundup Ready^® herbicide-tolerant crops started a new phase of crop management,” says Dr. Bryan Young, professor and weed scientist at Southern Illinois University. “Today, we’re moving into another phase of crop management, and life will not be as simple as it was when only glyphosate was used to control all weeds. Not only will we have new herbicide technologies, we’ll also have new seed-trait technologies combined with them in some weed management systems.”

Dr. Young notes that changes in crop production make it all the more critical to take advantage of learning events this summer. “Seeing and hearing information firsthand has more impact, and the participant has more room for personal interpretation. It may be difficult for people to find the time, but these learning opportunities are now more important than ever,” Young says.

This summer, Monsanto is planning a robust educational program called the Roundup Ready^® Learning Xperience, a series of events aimed at transferring knowledge about the Roundup Ready^® Xtend^™ Crop System to seed dealers, retailers and others. Pending regulatory approvals, the Roundup Ready^® Xtend^™ Crop System will introduce Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^™ soybeans, which are tolerant to dicamba and glyphosate herbicides. Featuring in-field training demonstrations, the Learning Xperience events will be held at more than 20 locations across major U.S. soybean-growing regions, specifically selected to show how the system will work across many environments.

Many farm supply companies also are preparing for new weed management technologies and application practices by attending available training and sponsoring learning opportunities for their own customers.

Dr. Jason Weirich, MFA Director of Agronomy, says, “We recognize changes are coming to weed management with the new crop systems headed down the pipeline, and we’re preparing for them.”

MFA operates more than 350 spray rigs across its trade areas in Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas and Kansas, and supplies seed and herbicides to farmers.

“Retailers, applicators, farmers and agronomists need to be at summer learning opportunities,” says Dr. Weirich, who plans to attend events such as university-hosted field days and Roundup Ready Learning Xperience events. “We need to know how to use the new seed and herbicide technologies to better ourselves and our farming operations. It’s important to have consistent messages on proper use so that we can be good stewards of the new technologies.”

Each Learning Xperience site will include plots that demonstrate local Roundup Ready PLUS^® Weed Management Solutions recommendations in action, as well as small-field trials showcasing the efficacy and crop safety of the Roundup Ready Xtend^™ Crop System. Participants in the Learning Xperience events will get a firsthand, close-up preview of the latest innovations – management practices, seed and traits, expert perspectives and more. (For a map of Learning Xperience locations go to http://www.roundupreadyplus.com/HTML%20Assets/fwdxtendpr/roundup_ready_learning_xperience_map.jpg).

“Monsanto wants to prepare retailers and applicators to effectively use the Roundup Ready Xtend^™ Crop System to help achieve optimum yield potentials and a high level of efficacy on tough-to-manage and resistant weeds,” says Michelle Vigna, Monsanto Roundup Ready Xtend^™ launch manager. “Our Learning Xperience events will offer training on application requirements, weed control recommendations using herbicides with multiple modes of action and many other key management practices to enhance crop production outcomes.” (For a MP3 file of quote, go to http://www.roundupreadyplus.com/HTML%20Assets/fwdxtendpr/michelle_vigna_audio.mp3).

Most major companies will focus on making educational opportunities available this summer, says Dr. Robert E. Wolf, application technology specialist, consultant and professor emeritus at Kansas State University. Dr. Wolf currently operates Wolf Consulting and Research based in Mahomet, Ill., and advises crop protection companies nationwide.

Dr. Wolf recommends that retailers, applicators and farmers take advantage of these training opportunities to get a jumpstart on the proper application practices required with new seed and herbicide systems. On-target application, drift reduction, proper nozzle selection, boom height and operating speed, as well as tank cleanout procedures, are among the many components that factor into proper application and effective, sustainable weed control.

“We will need to be more diverse in application approaches, which will change the habits of many people who became too focused on the simplicity of using one herbicide,” says Dr. Wolf. “Changing application practices will be a challenge for those who have never used diverse application approaches and for people who may have not used them in many years.”

Retailers, applicators and others may learn more about these important dicamba application practices by attending the Roundup Ready Learning Xperience events.

“Everyone involved in using the new technologies will need knowledge about the issues and variables to consider,” says Dr. Wolf. “It’s best to prepare now by participating in learning opportunities which will help individuals be ready for widespread use when the technologies advance to the marketplace.”

2013 Agronomy Events

Looking for an opportunity this summer to learn more about the latest in crop production research and technology? If so, you’re in luck. Universities, manufacturers, ag retailers and others are planning a busy schedule of events to showcase the latest knowledge, products and expertise for attaining maximum yield and profit potentials.

Check university websites, talk to a local extension agent or contact your crop protection representative to find learning events in your area. While calendars for the 2013 summer learning opportunities are still being finalized, some are scheduled. You may want to look for events in your area similar to the following:

Roundup Ready Learning Xperience

Monsanto will showcase the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System and highlight weed-control benefits, proper system use and application requirements, as well as advantages of incorporating dicamba into the system.
More than 20 locations in 19 states will host invitation-only events for retailers from June through August.
For more information, go to http://www.roundupreadyplus.com/Pages/Xtend-Learning-Xperience-Plots.aspx or contact a local Monsanto representative.

For a schedule of additional 2013 agronomy events go to http://www.roundupreadyplus.com/HTML%20Assets/Documents/OtherAgronomyEvents.pdf

About Monsanto Company

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Certain statements contained in this presentation are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this presentation. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not an offer to sell Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^™. This product is not yet registered or approved for sale or use anywhere in the United States.

Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready PLUS^®, Roundup Ready^®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^™ and Xtend^™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ^©2013 Monsanto Company.

Virginia Cattle Rancher is National "Farm Mom of the Year"

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:00:00 -0500

Betty Rosson Receives Majority Of Votes To Win National Title And Prize

May 17, 2013

ST. LOUIS, May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The online votes have been tallied, and Betty Rosson, a Virginia grain and cattle farmer, is Monsanto's 2013 America's Farmers Mom of the Year.

Betty's nomination, submitted by son Charles, was chosen by judges of American Agri-Women as regional winner for the Southeast. Online voting was conducted in early May, during which time anyone could visit AmericasFarmers.com, read regional winners' nominations and cast a vote for one to receive the national title. Betty received the most online votes, and she was notified of her national win on Mother's Day.

"Whether she is driving a tractor, feeding cows or caring for her family, Elizabeth (Betty) is 100 percent all-in for the job," wrote Charles in the winning nomination. "Mom certainly doesn't let grass grow under her feet, as she is always on the move for her family, her church, her farm and the community."

Charles' nomination mentioned Betty's involvement in the FFA, 4-H and Ag in the Classroom, in addition to the Louisa County Farm Bureau and livestock judging and showmanship clinics hosted at the farm. She manages all the record-keeping and taxes for Quaker Hill Farm, in addition to planning two annual cattle production sales. She is a founding member of her church and is a board member of her local volunteer rescue squad. She does all this while caring for her 92-year-old mother. The recognition is not new to Betty, as she recently represented Louisa County and the Central District and was a runner up in the Virginia Farm Bureau Woman of the Year contest

"This is a wonderful Mother's Day surprise!" Betty Rosson said upon learning she had won. "Raising a family on the farm and being involved with agriculture is a blessing. I share this recognition with farm moms everywhere!"

Quaker Hill Farm is a fifth-generation family farming operation that is a partnership of Betty, husband, Charles, and two of their five sons, Charles and Lee. The Rossons farm hay, pasture and grain crops and grow corn, soybeans, wheat and barley to feed to the cattle as a cash crop. They also have 750 brood cows consisting of primarily Angus and Simmental. The Rossons have more than 20 sires enrolled in artificial insemination bull stud operations, and have exported cattle around the world, as far away as Turkey and Russia. Quaker Hill Farm is also home to show pigs and Boer goats for 4-H and FFA students to show.

All five regional "Farm Mom of the Year" winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize from Monsanto. As national winner, Betty will receive an additional $5,000. A check presentation ceremony is being planned in her honor for early summer.

"From the large pool of nominations from almost every state, Betty's immediately stood out," said Kris Zilliox of American Agri-Women. "Like so many farm moms, she is passionate about supporting her family, bettering her community and increasing awareness of American agriculture. She's a fantastic representation of what being a modern farm mom is all about!"

Visit AmericasFarmers.com to read more about Betty and the other 2013 regional winners. To request a list of winners by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to America's Farmers Mom of the Year, Attn: Nancy Hallahan, 914 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.

America's Farmers Mom of the Year is an element of Monsanto's America's Farmers program, an advocacy effort promoting, recognizing and supporting U.S. farmers through communications, awards and special programs that highlight the importance of agriculture.

About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

About American Agri-Women
American Agri-Women (AAW) is a national coalition of more than 40,000 farm, ranch and agribusiness women, representing 60 state and commodity affiliates. To learn more about AAW, please visit: www.americanagriwomen.org. Follow American Agri-Women on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/Women4Ag and like AAW on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/AgriWomen.

CONTACT:
Nancy Hallahan, Osborn Barr, 314-591-2876
Gayla Daugherty, Monsanto, 314-694-6229

SOURCE Monsanto Company

Deltapine® NPE Farmers Evaluating RKN-Resistant Variety Lines for Class of 14

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:30:00 -0500

May 15, 2013

ST. LOUIS (May 15, 2013) – The Deltapine New Product Evaluator (NPE) program kicks off its sixth year this season with growers evaluating seven different variety candidates for the Class of 14, including three new lines bred for root-knot nematode resistance.

“In just five years the NPE program has resulted in the commercialization of some of the top-planted varieties by growing region across the Belt,” said Keylon Gholston, Deltapine cotton products manager. “That’s because Deltapine varieties are proven to perform in the NPE program before they are commercialized. They are proven by farmers representing all regions and raising cotton in various farming conditions. NPE farmers have been evaluating the newest genetics for five years. This year, they will evaluate variety candidates containing the newest genetics and the newest traits.”

In 2013, a limited number of NPE farmers located in nematode-affected areas will evaluate variety candidates bred to be resistant to root-knot nematodes. More than 639,000 bales were lost during the 2012 U.S. cotton crop due to damage from root knot nematodes, according to the Cotton Disease Loss Committee Report delivered at the 2013 Beltwide Cotton Conference – a yield loss for farmers of 2.5%.

NPE farmer Greg Sikes in Brooklet, GA farms fields with sandy soils where nematodes are a regular problem. In these fields, spots being affected by root-knot nematodes are visibly noticed across the plant stand in early summer. With the popular aldicarb product, Temik^®, no longer available, control is down to crop rotation or using hard-to-handle, more expensive chemicals.

“Seed treatments and breeding for root knot nematode resistance are the way to go,” said Sikes. “The cotton industry has proven it can provide new technologies such as Bollgard^® and others that work and offer real benefits to farmers. New technology that helps us manage root-knot nematodes will be very beneficial and I am anxious to see how these variety lines work in our fields.”

Nematodes are a real problem and farmers have fewer control options, according to NPE farmer Duwane Billings, who farms irrigated fields with sandy soil south of Lubbock in Seagraves, TX.

“I am excited about seeing these new varieties resistant to root-knot nematodes and hope they can return the yield potential that we lose in these fields,” he said.

The Deltapine NPE program has become the cotton industry’s premiere field evaluation program, continuing its work with 200-plus farmers evaluating pre-commercial variety lines. Each farmer is given enough seed to grow at least a module-worth of cotton per variety candidate. These farmers manage the plots as they would manage the rest of their farm, offering both the farmer and the Deltapine cotton development and commercialization teams a true picture of a variety candidate’s performance potential. Only the variety candidates that are proven by NPE farmers to have better yield, quality and performance than current commercial offerings will be named for Class of 14.

Since its inception in 2008, the Deltapine NPE program has resulted in the commercialization of top-planted varieties such as DP 1044 B2RF, the number-one planted cotton variety in Texas in 2012, and DP 1252 B2RF, a leading yielder in the lower Southeast. Other popularly-planted varieties from the NPE program include DP 1219 B2RF, DP 1137 B2RF and the ever-consistent DP 0912 B2RF.

“Any time you can do field trials that are more than 6 rows in size, it is very valuable,” said Sikes. “In the Southeast, we have a mix of soils, sandy, clay and areas of fields with good topsoil. Twelve rows over, soil profile can change drastically. NPE trials are 6- to 8-acre plots and allow you to prove a variety’s performance potential in a real-farm setting. The program has resulted in some very good varieties for this region.”

In Texas, Billings says the NPE program demonstrates the Monsanto and Deltapine commitment to helping farmers succeed.

“I believe there is a lot of value in growing these large-sized plots and we’ve seen some really good varieties come out of NPE,” he said. “Deltapine has made market share gains in Texas and NPE should get credit along with the contributions of the good sales representatives they have here.”

To learn more about Deltapine cotton varieties, go to www.deltapine.com.

About Monsanto Company

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Individual results may vary,and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

Deltapine® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

Farmers In Illinois Experience First Planting Of Monsanto's FieldScripts(SM)

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 -0500

May 14, 2013

ST. LOUIS, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- This planting season, more than 150 farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota are trialing the first offering from Monsanto's Integrated Farming Systems^SM (IFS) research platform - FieldScripts^SM. With FieldScripts planted on more than 8,300 acres in Illinois, Ground Breakers® farmers there are impressed with how FieldScripts revolutionizes variable rate planting.

FieldScripts integrates Monsanto's understanding of hybrid performance with the data farmers provide about their individual fields to identify the best hybrids and provide a variable rate planting prescription for each field. The process is led by FieldScripts Certified Dealers, delivered through the FieldView® Plus app on the farmer's iPad®, and executed with precision equipment on the planter.

Ground Breakers farmer Mark Sturtevant in Carroll County, Ill. has planted several fields with FieldScripts and is excited about bringing together Monsanto's knowledge of hybrid performance in multiple yield environments with the latest planter technologies, "If we can harness this technology, we'll be able to increase our yield and profit potential. We're working to put the right seed, at the right amount, on every acre. FieldScripts is a step in the right direction for the industry."

While many farmers own variable rate planters, there has not been a simple and accurate way to utilize them. Traditionally, variable rate seeding has been based on soil type or normalized yield, but these methods fall short of revealing the true picture of what is happening in the field or providing a means to plant accurately using that information.

FieldScripts allows the farmer to accurately plant a lower seeding rate in lower-yielding areas of the field, and a higher seeding rate at higher yielding areas of the field, maximizing the yield potential of every seed. Monsanto research has shown that FieldScripts delivers a 5-10 bushel per acre yield advantage across the field as a whole, as compared with fields not planted with FieldScripts. In 2014, Monsanto plans to launch FieldScripts that will be delivered to farmers through FieldScripts Certified DEKALB® seed dealers.

Many Ground Breakers farmers have been especially pleased by how simple it is to put FieldScripts to work on their farm. "FieldScripts sounds like a complicated system, but it's extremely simple for the farmer to use," said Ground Breakers farmer and dealer Dustin Spears from Lanark, Ill. "Prior to planting, the dealer gathers all of the data and prepares it to be used by the farmer. The data all comes to the farmer's iPad®, he pushes a few buttons and he's ready to plant. FieldScripts is much simpler than alternative technology."

As co-owner of Martz-Spears Seed, a FieldScripts Certified DEKALB seed dealer participating along with more than 40 other dealers in the four launch states, Spears also sees the value FieldScripts provides to his dealership. "FieldScripts allows our dealership to provide better service for our customers. We're no longer just selling seed and service, we're selling a science that we believe will keep farmers coming back for more. Our farmers are always looking for ways to improve their bottom line, and this is a tool that will help them maximize their profit potential and make the most of every acre of their land," said Spears.

For additional information on FieldScripts visit: http://www.monsanto.com/products/Pages/fieldscripts.aspx. For information on how FieldScripts can maximize the performance of your DEKALB hybrids, visit www.dekalb.com/FieldScripts.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements contained in this presentation are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this presentation. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

CONTACT

Christy Toedebusch (314) 694-6263

SOURCE Monsanto Company