DEKALB® Brand to Auction a Custom Chopper with Proceeds Going to the American Red Cross

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- DEKALB® brand will kick off its 100th anniversary celebration with the design, build and auction of a custom-built, commemorative DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike by Paul Jr. Designs of Discovery Channel's "American Chopper- Senior v. Junior." All proceeds from an auction of the bike will go to the American Red Cross.

The DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike, which will be unveiled at the 2011 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., will travel across approximately 10 states on a 14-20 stop Chopper Tour around rural America following the Farm Progress Show reveal. Stops along the tour include farm shows and industry meetings and conventions where attendees can see the DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike first-hand. The internet auction for the DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike will launch in January 2012 to coincide with the DEKALB brand anniversary month, and the DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike will be presented to the winner at the 2012 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.

"Since 1912, the DEKALB brand has proven to be a leading provider of corn seed to the American farmer and since 1881, the American Red Cross has been the nation's premier provider of emergency relief," says Jason Hoag, DEKALB Marketing Manager. "An agreement with this organization seemed very fitting as we are both strongly rooted in the support of American communities and dedicated to providing food and resources for people nationwide and abroad."

Officials from the American Red Cross are proud to join forces with one of America's long-standing brands in agriculture and happy to participate in the 100th anniversary celebration of DEKALB.

"The American Red Cross has served more than 3.2 million meals and snacks since March 31," said Gerald DeFrancisco, President of Humanitarian Services. "It has been a tough year of natural and man-made disasters, and rural America, in particular, has been hit hard with tornadoes and flooding. Generous donations like the one coming from the DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike auction enable the American Red Cross to help those affected get back on their feet."

The episodes featuring the build and reveal of the DEKALB 100th Anniversary Bike will air October 17th and November 7th, 2012 on Discovery Channel.

About Monsanto Company

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About The American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

DEKALB® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2011 Monsanto Company.

Always follow IRM, where applicable, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. DEKALB®, Knowledge Challenge(SM) and Monsanto and Vine Design® are trademarks or service marks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2011 Monsanto Company.

CONTACT:
Mimi Ricketts (314-694-5703)
Ben Kampelman (314-694-6192)

SOURCE Monsanto Company