Monsanto Initiates Regular Product Performance Update to Provide Customer Resource During Harvest

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 20, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As farmers continue the 2010 harvest and prepare for the 2011 season, Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) will begin providing regular 2010 harvest performance updates for its corn and soybean portfolio on its website.  The online resource will provide farmers with more information as they evaluate the best products for their farm.

Monsanto offers farmers the industry's most extensive trait-and-germplasm product line-up to improve on-farm productivity and profitability.  As harvest progresses, Monsanto will collect nationwide data on approximately 15,000 head-to-head comparisons for its branded corn and soybean seed-and-trait offerings, creating a resource to assist customers as they evaluate Monsanto product performance throughout this year's harvest.

Initial results suggest that Monsanto is delivering higher yields to farmers again this year, led by DEKALB corn hybrids.  Highlights from the first harvest report include:

• Early indicators are demonstrating the continued performance of YieldGard VT Triple® relative to competitive offerings.  YieldGard VT Triple continues to be a cornerstone product and popular choice in 2010 among customers.  Initial reports from more than 2,000 comparisons through the core areas in the South-Central Corn Belt indicate YieldGard VT Triple's performance is sustaining its overall yield advantages versus comparable competitive traits offerings.
• Genuity® VT Triple PRO trait, Monsanto's new triple-trait technology offering, protects yield on-farm better than the competition.  Monsanto's preliminary yield trials, which include now more than 1,700 comparisons in the South, continue to demonstrate that Genuity VT Triple PRO provides a yield advantage of more than eight bushels per acre over competitors.  This represents an improvement in performance for Monsanto products in this part of the country on top of the whole yield value that comes from the benefit of refuge reduction.  As the data set expands to now include more than 500 early comparisons from the south central Corn Belt, the differential advantage of Genuity VT Triple PRO is continuing and demonstrating strong combined genetic and trait advantages relative to the competitive triple-stack offerings.
• Genuity® SmartStax® offers comprehensive insect protection.   Agronomic evaluations conducted in 2010 indicate the Genuity SmartStax trait platform is delivering expected benefits on insect control, with more than 70 percent reduction in kernel damage versus refuge and competitive traits.  To date, with less than 10 percent of the total expected Genuity SmartStax harvest completed, early indicators suggest some hybrids are delivering yields on par with YieldGard VT Triple, the industry's leading triple corn technology, while others have shown yield variability below this YieldGard VT Triple technology. Monsanto will continue to monitor and track hybrid performance as additional data points are collected.  The majority of the Genuity SmartStax product offerings and volume of 2010 sales were in the shorter-maturity regions in the Northern Corn Belt and are yet to be harvested.

This year's soybean harvest is less advanced. Monsanto is currently collecting initial reports from soybean plots harvested in the Southern region and expects to report on these findings as well as additional data over the next several weeks.

Monsanto will post updates to this information throughout the harvest season on its harvest update website at: www.monsanto.com/productperformance.  Farmers can also follow product news and performance online at: www.asgrowanddekalb.com and 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.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this release 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; 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 Form 10-K 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 release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

SOURCE Monsanto Company