ST. LOUIS, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1970 John Franz, Ph.D., discovered that a chemical, later named glyphosate, had the amazing ability to block the growth of vegetation. Because of his discovery, glyphosate soon became the active ingredient in Roundup herbicides, now the world's most effective and top-selling herbicides.

This monumental discovery will be formally recognized on May 5, when Dr. Franz is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame® in Akron, Ohio. He joins other leaders of the agricultural industry, including Eli Whitney, John Deere, and George Washington Carver, who were previously inducted to the Hall of Fame, which honors the women and men responsible for the great technological advances that make human, social and economic progress possible.

"We at Monsanto thank Dr. Franz for his discovery, and congratulate him on this historic occasion. Dr. Franz started Monsanto down a path that led us to be the agricultural company we are today," said Robert T. Fraley, Ph.D., chief technology officer and executive vice president for Monsanto. "His discovery of glyphosate was pivotal in the history of agriculture, enabling the development of conservation tillage systems which lower grower production costs and reduce soil erosion. Subsequent advances in biotechnology and development of Roundup Ready® crops have extended glyphosate's use for controlling weeds in crops across the globe. Dr. Franz helped create a product with tremendous staying power in the market -- millions of farmers have been relying on this product for more than 30 years."

Agricultural innovations such as Roundup herbicides improve the quality of life for all of society. Roundup brand herbicides have reached farther than just the farm. They are used in homes, gardens, zoos, golf courses, conservation areas, and habitat restoration projects, protecting sensitive areas from invasive weed species. Roundup agricultural herbicides allow farmers to produce abundant, healthy food while stewarding the environment and consumer formulations enable homeowners to maintain healthy and attractive gardens. Monsanto's glyphosate products are registered in more than 130 countries and are approved for weed control in more than 100 crops. No other herbicide's active ingredient compares in terms of number of approved uses.

"I'm very honored to be recognized by the Hall of Fame, mostly because it's a recognition of the entire team of scientists who worked on and supported the development of Roundup herbicides," said Dr. Franz. "Thinking back on it, we never imagined glyphosate would become part of a product that is now a household name."

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is a leading global provider of technology- based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For more information, please visit: http://www.monsanto.com/ .

SOURCE: Monsanto Company

CONTACT: Sara Duncan of Monsanto Company , +1-314-694-2729, or, Rini
Paiva of National Inventors Hall of Fame, +1-330-849-6916

Web site: http://www.monsanto.com/

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