Greensboro, North Carolina
March 7, 2002

Syngenta Crop Protection Inc. yesterday filed a civil lawsuit in Federal District Court in North Carolina against the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prevent an unlawful registration of the herbicide metolachlor to generic pesticide manufacturers. EPA has stated it may issue a registration as early as Monday, 11 March 2002.

Syngenta ceased manufacturing and selling old metolachlor in 1999 as agreed with EPA at the time of the registration of S-metolachlor -- a reduced risk herbicide. In December 1999, EPA publicly announced cancellation of metolachlor but has failed to formalize this action.

Syngenta's suit seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent EPA from issuing metolachlor registrations to Cedar Chemical Company and two other generic producers. Specifically, Syngenta asserts that EPA did not provide Syngenta with the appropriate notice legally required before EPA may issue a registration. Further, the company maintains that EPA has failed to respond to Syngenta's petitions to deny the generic producers' applications for registration prior to issuing the registrations.

"Syngenta opposes the conditional registration of old metolachlor by Cedar or any other manufacturer," said Vince Alventosa, general counsel for Syngenta Crop Protection in NAFTA. "The granting of this conditional registration would be a clear statement to the public and to the agrochemical industry that EPA no longer values the environmental benefits associated with reduced risk products."

Like metolachlor, S-metolachlor is a broad spectrum grass herbicide, but with one important difference: it offers the same effectiveness against weeds with 35 percent less active ingredient. This reduced application rate results in approximately 20 million fewer pounds of active ingredient applied annually across all crops and a 35 percent reduction in exposure.

Through the 2001 season, replacement of old metolachlor with S-metolachlor reduced pesticide loading to the environment by approximately 60 million pounds. This represents the largest real reduction of pesticide use in the US -- more than the reduction from all other reduced risk registrations combined. Today, S-metolachlor accounts for nearly 70 percent of the agricultural acres treated with reduced risk pesticides in the US.

Syngenta (NYSE: SYT) is a world-leading agribusiness. The company ranks first in crop protection and third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2001 were approximately US $6.3 billion. Syngenta employs more than 20,000 people in over 50 countries. The company is committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative Research and Technology. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange and in London, New York and Stockholm.