Syngenta Crop Protection today announced that the U.S. EPA has issued a Section 18 emergency exemption for the use of Quilt(TM) fungicide in soybeans to control soybean rust. The Section 18 exemptions for Quilt allow growers to apply the fungicide to control soybean rust in Minnesota, the first of 28 states to receive approval after requesting a Section 18 Quarantine Exemption from EPA.

Quilt teams powerful preventive and curative activity by pairing the active ingredients in two trusted Syngenta fungicides, Quadris® (azoxystrobin) and Tilt® (propiconazole). Similar combinations are used extensively in Brazil by growers managing soybean rust, noted Valdemar Fischer, President of Syngenta Crop Protection, North America.

"Quilt will be a powerful tool in the soybean growers' arsenal as we face this first season with Asian soybean rust on U.S. shores," said Fischer. "As we have seen in Brazil, which last year produced its biggest soybean crop ever during a severe rust outbreak, the disease can be managed through effective management and tools."

In Latin America, including Brazil as one of Syngenta's major markets, Syngenta has worked through an extensive range of programs since 2002 to help farmers combat soybean rust there. These programs include cooperative engagements with local universities and research institutions as well as the implementation of a proprietary, web-based diagnostic system Syntinela®, which provides growers throughout Brazil early warning alerts to the presence of disease in their area.

More information on control of soybean rust can be found at http://www.soybeanrust.com. The site also features an array of management tools and current information and offers growers opportunities to communicate directly with plant pathologists about the soybean rust.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (NYSE: SYT).

Requests on behalf of several states have been submitted to include Quilt on EPA's approved Section 18 list for control of Asian rust on soybeans. The following states have requested a Quilt Section 18 Quarantine Exemption from EPA: AR, CO, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI AND WV. As of this release, EPA has granted section 18 approval for use on soybean rust in Minnesota. Check with your state prior to using or recommending Quilt for control of Asian rust on soybeans.

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