Nutritionally-Enhanced Corn Hybrids To Benefit Animal Producers And Corn Growers; Genuity™ VT Triple PRO™ and Roundup Ready® Expected To Launch in 2010; Genuity™ SmartStax™ Hybrids in 2011
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, and ST. LOUIS, December 9, 2009 – BASF Plant Science and Monsanto today announced the signing of an agreement to develop and commercialize new corn hybrids with better nutrition for animal feed.
The new hybrids will contain BASF’s NutriDense traits that are designed to enhance animal feed performance. NutriDense corn has higher levels of essential amino acids and energy, greater phosphorous availability and is more digestible.
BASF’s NutriDense traits will be combined with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Genuity VT Triple PRO and Genuity SmartStax corn. The new high quality hybrids are expected to deliver the best feed value and yields equivalent to elite conventional corn. Once launched, seed companies will market the new hybrids through licensing agreements.
“The addition of higher yielding NutriDense corn hybrids from Monsanto plus increased distribution through Monsanto regional brands and other partners will allow animal operations to contract the planting of the enhanced nutrition corn across a broad geography,” said Jonathan Bryant, managing director of BASF Plant Science LP.
Corn growers may benefit from the premium pricing opportunity on the product from animal feed operations.
“We believe this collaboration will produce new and high-value hybrids for farmers by enabling them to deliver a more nutritious source of corn for feed use to their customers,” said Cameron Ator, regional brand lead for Monsanto. “This is another example of Monsanto’s efforts to continue to provide innovative products that can help farmers maximize the yield and profit potential on their farms.”
Roughly 45 percent of the corn grown in the United States is used as animal feed, with the majority being fed specifically to swine or poultry. A better nutritional composition of the grain fed to the animal reduces costs and waste. This development and commercialization agreement will benefit animal producers by offering a greater number of high yielding, high nutritional quality hybrids specifically designed for the swine, poultry, and dairy segment.
“BASF Plant Science has a strong commitment to the feed industry and our work in corn enhancement and animal nutrition is delivering better corn for better feed,” Bryant added. “We are the only company investing in this manner and depth to provide solutions that improve animal performance and help producers increase their profitability.”
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 Facebook at www.facebook.com/MonsantoCo, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
About BASF Plant Science
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. BASF Plant Science – a BASF group company – is one of the world’s leading companies providing innovative plant biotechnology solutions for agriculture. Today, more than 750 employees are helping farmers meet the growing demand for improved agricultural productivity and healthier nutrition for humans and animals. BASF Plant Science has developed an unparalleled gene discovery platform focusing on yield and quality traits in crops such as corn, soybean and rice. Jointly with leading partners in the seed industry BASF Plant Science is commercializing its products. Current projects include higher yielding row crops, nutritionally-enhanced corn for animal feed or higher content of Omega-3’s in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases. To find out more about BASF Plant Science, please visit www.basf.com/plantscience.
About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has approximately 97,000 employees and posted sales of more than €62 billion in 2008. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
