ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced its commercial launch plans
for its Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^™ soybeans after it
received import approval in China. This technology has been highly
anticipated by farmers and is now available in the United States and
Canada in time for the 2016 season.

“We are pleased to bring Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to the market,”
said Brett Begemann, Monsanto President and Chief Operating
Officer. “After a decade of development, the new and elite germplasm in
Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans can provide growers with outstanding
performance in their efforts to produce the best crop possible.”

Monsanto’s Asgrow^®, Channel^® and regional brands, along with Corn States
licensees, expect to introduce more than 70 soybean products across
eight maturity groups with agronomic traits including resistance to
nematodes and phytophthora root rot. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are
broadly licensed to more than 100 seed brands.

Although Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are tolerant to both glyphosate
and dicamba herbicides, the use of dicamba herbicide over the top of
Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans remains in late stage of Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) review and is not currently approved by the EPA.
Once approved, the Roundup Ready^® Xtend Crop System – including Bollgard
II^® XtendFlex^® cotton – will offer growers a vital tool for managing
tough-to-control and glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Miriam Paris, U.S. Soybean Marketing Manager, says demand for Roundup
Ready 2 Xtend^™ soybeans has been strong. “To date, we’ve had significant
pre-orders from farmers and are excited to move forward with
commercialization,” she said. “Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are built
on the same high-yielding germplasm as Genuity^® Roundup Ready 2 Yield^®
soybeans, which continue to deliver a greater than four bushel per acre
advantage as compared to the original Roundup Ready^® soybeans. Pending
dicamba approval, growers will continue to maximize their yield
opportunity through the weed management recommendations and incentives
provided by Roundup Ready PLUS^® Crop Management Solutions.”

More information about Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and the Roundup
Ready Xtend Crop System can be found at RoundupReadyPLUS.com/XtendCropSystem.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help
nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and
key crops – such as corn, soybeans, and cotton – that help farmers have
better harvests while using water and other important resources more
efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help
farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural
resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from
pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate
with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and
others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn
more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated
employees, please visit: discover.monsanto.com
and monsanto.com.
Follow our business on Twitter^® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo,
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Monsanto 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 understanding and
acceptance of our biotechnology and other agricultural products; the
success of the company’s research and development activities; the
outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously-announced SEC
investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies;
pursuit of acquisitions or other transactions; fluctuations in commodity
prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the
accuracy of the company’s estimates related to distribution inventory
levels; the recent increases in and expected higher levels of
indebtedness; 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, accidents, and security
breaches, including cybersecurity incidents, on the agriculture business
or the company’s facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the
company’s most recent periodic 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.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup
Ready^® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the
active ingredient in Roundup^® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup^®
brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to
glyphosate. Bollgard II^®, Genuity^®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton
Design^®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend^™, Roundup Ready 2 Yield^®, Roundup Ready^®
and Roundup^® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Bollgard II^®
XtendFlex^® cotton and Design ©2016 Monsanto Company.