Nashville, Tennessee
January 8, 2003

Dow AgroSciences LLC announced the selection of WideStrike™ as the brand name for its cotton insect protection trait during a presentation conducted during the Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

The insect protection trait – a combination of the Cry1F and Cry1Ac Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins – has been in development and field study by Dow AgroSciences for several years. It is on track for regulatory approval and commercial introduction in 2004.

“During the branding process, we looked at hundreds and hundreds of naming options,” explained Duane Canfield, cotton biotech marketing specialist for Dow AgroSciences. “We wanted the name to reinforce the broad-spectrum, in-plant, season-long protection that the trait provides to cotton producers.

“We tested several possible brand names for the trait, both externally with growers and consultants and also internally,” continued Canfield. “After conducting three separate studies with each group, WideStrike was the clear favorite. Growers especially saw it as a strong name. They want a product that provides protection for their cotton crop and takes the fight to the pests throughout the season, and WideStrike got the message across quickly and clearly.”

During 2002, the WideStrike insect protection trait was in extensive agronomic, efficacy and resistance management trials at 75 trials across the Cotton Belt. Preliminary results from those trials show season-long protection against a broad spectrum of lepidopteran pests such as cotton bollworm, tobacco budworm, pink bollworm, beet armyworm, fall armyworm, yellowstriped armyworm, cabbage loopers and soybean loopers.

An Experimental Use Permit for 2003 trials is expected from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in January, with full federal registration anticipated in 2004. WideStrike will be introduced in elite varieties from Phytogen Seed Company in 2004, WideStrike is also expected to be available in varieties from other cottonseed companies by 2005.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and contribute to the safety, health and quality of life of the world's growing population. Dow AgroSciences has approximately 6,000 people in over 50 countries dedicated to its business, and has worldwide sales of approximately US $3 billion. Dow AgroSciences LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. For more information about Dow AgroSciences, visit www.dowagro.com.