Missouri Ag Connection - China Approves Import of Monsanto Soybeans

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China Approves Import of Monsanto Soybeans
Missouri Ag Connection - 02/05/2016

Monsanto Company 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."

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