BASF and Oregon State University announced today that they have signed a commercial agreement to provide growers with new varieties of herbicide-tolerant CLEARFIELD* wheat.

The new varieties will be used with the CLEARFIELD Production System for wheat, which was launched in 2002.

The objective of the agreement is to develop various commercial elite varieties of CLEARFIELD wheat through the use of traditional plant-breeding methods, said Bruce Cranfill, BASF market manager for CLEARFIELD wheat.

CLEARFIELD is a unique production system comprised of herbicide-tolerant seed varieties, BeyondÔ herbicide to manage problem weeds and a stewardship agreement with growers to ensure system sustainability.

Beyond provides wheat growers control of jointed goatgrass, cheat grass, feral rye and other tough grasses, as well as many broadleaf weeds.

"Our new collaboration with Oregon State University gives us the opportunity to incorporate the unique CLEARFIELD* technology into some of the best wheat varieties available to Pacific Northwest growers," Cranfill said. "It’s a tremendous opportunity for all involved – Oregon State, BASF and growers in the Pacific Northwest."

"We are excited to be collaborating with BASF because there are real opportunities for use of the CLEARFIELD technology in the Pacific Northwest," said Russ Karow, cereals specialist and department head in Crop and Soil Science with Oregon State University. "We look forward to developing wheat varieties that meet the unique needs of this region."

ORCF-101 is the first CLEARFIELD wheat variety developed by Oregon State University and will be available to licensed seed associates in fall 2003. Commercial seed should be available in fall 2004.

BASF now has commercial CLEARFIELD wheat licensing agreements with Oregon State University, Colorado Wheat Research Foundation, General Mills, Western Plant Breeders and AgriPro Wheat.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company, offering its customers a range of high-performance products, including chemicals, plastics, coatings systems, dispersions, agricultural products and fine chemicals as well as crude oil and natural gas. BASF is an industry leader in sustainable development, including environmental protection, safety and health, and social responsibility. BASF had 2001 sales of $29 billion and employs more than 90,000 people worldwide. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in New York (BF), Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), Paris (BA) and Zurich (BAS). BASF Corporation is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. In North America, 2001 sales were $6.9 billion and the company employs approximately 14,000 people. For more information or to subscribe to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

With sales of Euro 3.5 billion in 2001, BASF’s Agricultural Products division, headquartered in Mount Olive, New Jersey, USA, is a leading supplier and marketer of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Based on its broad experience in R&D, manufacturing, marketing and sales, the vision of BASF’s Agricultural Products division is to be the world’s leading innovator, optimizing agricultural production, improving nutrition, and thus enhancing the quality of life for a growing world population.