Monsanto and Makhteshim Agan Announce Strategic Crop Protection Collaboration

TEL AVIV, Israel and ST. LOUIS, Oct. 19, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Weed management just got easier for farmers, as two global leaders joined forces with proven molecules that will help manage and reduce the risk of developing weed resistance.  Today, Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) and the Makhteshim Agan Group (TASE:MAIN) announced an agreement that makes Makhteshim Agan key partner of selected off-patent molecules to support Monsanto's Roundup Ready PLUS™ weed management platform.  

"Makhteshim Agan is a global leader in crop protection, and they are well-positioned to serve as a reliable supplier of the off-patent molecules we'll use to enhance the Roundup Ready PLUS platform and help farmers manage weed resistance," said Mike Frank, Monsanto vice president crop protection.  "This is a natural partnership, and it will enable us to achieve our goal -- effective and sustainable weed management for farmers."

Under the agreement, Monsanto will license their Roundup Ready PLUS trademark for use with select products from Makhteshim Agan, meaning farmers who use the quality Makhteshim Agan products will benefit from Roundup Ready PLUS programs such as Cotton Performance Plus.  Those products, combined with glyphosate, offer multiple modes of action to combat weeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate.  Used together, the multiple molecules also can reduce the risk of developing weed resistance.

"We have long admired Monsanto as a global leader in the new era of crop protection and we're pleased to announce this important collaboration, which underscores the breadth and quality of Makhteshim Agan's product portfolio," said Yoav Zeif, Makhteshim Agan Director global products and marketing.  "This agreement is the result of a long-standing business partnership between our companies, as we share a goal of providing simple and smart crop protection solutions. It's good business for both of our companies, and excellent news for our customers."

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Makhteshim Agan

Makhteshim Agan is the world's leader in branded off-patent crop protection solutions. With over six decades of field-proven experience and an impeccable reputation for quality, value, attentive service and environmental responsibility, the company has successfully grown its enterprise into a global powerhouse offering one of the most complete portfolios of crop and non-crop protection products. To learn more about our business please visit: www.ma-industries.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.

SOURCE Monsanto Company

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