St. Louis, MO, (February 17, 2006)—The European Union’s (EU) recent decision to approve YieldGard® Rootworm Corn for food ingredients has paved the way for YieldGard Rootworm to be used in human foods in Europe.

In November YieldGard Rootworm was approved for feed use. Many grain buyers were already accepting grain from YieldGard Rootworm Corn and this announcement will likely encourage other buyers to do the same.

“This approval is expected to open doors into European markets that had previously not accepted YieldGard Rootworm and should therefore increase the number of places where growers can sell their single-trait YieldGard Rootworm grain,” says Phoong Tang, Monsanto’s Business Manager for Biotech Grain. “This is great news for all segments of the corn industry.”

It is important that growers who planted YieldGard Rootworm single-trait hybrids speak with their local grain handler regarding that facility’s buying policy.

In addition, the EU Commission also granted import, feed and processing approval of YieldGard Plus, which is a hybrid stack of YieldGard Rootworm (MON 863) with YieldGard Corn Borer (MON 810). YieldGard Plus is currently under review by the EU for use in food and food ingredients.

”Grandfathered” Products

The EU announced this summer that the following Monsanto corn products already in the marketplace will be accepted (grandfathered) in processed feed: YieldGard® Plus, YieldGard Rootworm, YieldGard Rootworm with Roundup Ready® Corn 2, and YieldGard Corn Borer with Roundup Ready Corn 2. Roundup Ready Corn 2 and YieldGard Corn Borer (single traits only) have already been approved for food and feed use in the EU.

Monsanto is currently awaiting decisions on separate approvals for its corn trait technologies combined with the YieldGard Rootworm trait. Until these separate submissions within the EU regulatory processes are complete, growers who plan to plant combined trait versions of YieldGard Rootworm hybrids – including YieldGard Rootworm with Roundup Ready® Corn 2, YieldGard Plus or YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2 – will need to market the grain under the Market Choices® certification mark.

For a list of local grain handlers who accept Market Choices® designated hybrids, call 1-866-SELLCORN (1-866-735-5267) or go to www.866sellcorn.com

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