Monsanto announced recently that the company is cutting the list price of its Roundup Original MAX herbicide significantly for the 2005 season. As part of the announcement, the company also unveiled an enhanced Roundup Rewards program for growers that utilize Roundup WeatherMAX® or Roundup Original MAX as part of their Roundup Ready® Soybean system.

“Monsanto remains focused on providing growers with products and pest management options that deliver greater value than any other alternatives,” said John Raines, U.S. Marketing Lead for Monsanto.

“We’ve strengthened the risk sharing elements of Roundup WeatherMAX and taken a list price reduction on Roundup Original MAX so farmers can chose the Roundup-branded product they want, without sacrificing the proven crop safety, efficacy, and risk sharing benefits they’ve come to expect with a Roundup brand,” Raines said.

The new lower list price for Roundup Original MAX coupled with the enhanced elements of the Roundup Rewards program is expected to provide an attractive alternative to growers who have been using generic glyphosate products but value the risk-sharing, reliability and consistency of Roundup® agricultural herbicides.

Raines also noted that the changes mean that soybean growers will have the opportunity to have similar system cost per acre, year on year, when purchasing Roundup Ready soybean trait and Roundup Original MAX.

“The Roundup Ready system has changed the way soybeans are grown and offers a more economical approach to weed control,” Raines notes. “The Roundup Ready system allows farmers to grow more acres with less labor and equipment while providing greater weed control and crop safety than any other weed management program.”

For nearly a decade, the Roundup Ready system has offered growers unsurpassed weed control, greater convenience and maximum yield potential.  As a result, nine out of 10 growers today choose the Roundup Ready system for their soybean crop.  

Raines said since Roundup Ready Soybeans were introduced in 1996, total soybean weed control input costs have declined by over $10 per acre.  The technology has also doubled the acres where conservation tillage practices are being used, allowing farmers to better steward the land, improve soil quality, reduce erosion and better optimize their use of natural resources, he said.

“From an economic standpoint, U.S. soybean growers have realized over $1 billion in added value since 1995,” Raines said.  “Using the Roundup Ready Soybean system and Roundup agricultural herbicides, soybeans yielded an average 2.6 bushels per acre more than soybeans with a conventional herbicide system.”

2005 Roundup Rewards Program Is Enhanced

Monsanto has enhanced the 2005 Roundup Rewards program for growers that utilize Roundup WeatherMAX or Roundup Original MAX as part of their Roundup Ready Soybean system. Monsanto has expanded the trait replant and crop loss protection for growers that use Roundup Original MAX. Monsanto has also improved the value of the Roundup Rewards program for Roundup WeatherMAX users by enhancing the trait replant and crop loss protection, volunteer corn and respray elements.

Roundup Original MAX

Roundup Original MAX was first introduced in 2004. Roundup Original MAX offers proven, reliable weed control, trusted performance in a highly concentrated formulation.

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.

Roundup®, Roundup Original® MAX and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.