Monsanto Canada will provide more than $115,000 in donated farm inputs to Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing projects in 2006. Once harvested, the proceeds from crops grown on community growing projects are donated to the Winnipeg-based aid agency to be used in its food programming activities overseas.

As it has for the past several years, Monsanto Canada extended an offer to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide no-fee Roundup Ready(R) technology, Roundup(R) brand agricultural herbicides, DEKALB(R) seed and other Monsanto products to the more than 200 Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing projects in Western and Eastern Canada. Farmer volunteers who manage the growing projects within their community submitted their requests for product through their local Monsanto representatives during the period March 18-25, 2006.

"Through our corporate giving program, Monsanto regularly looks for opportunities to support groups or programs with a direct connection to agriculture," explained Trish Jordan, public affairs lead with Monsanto Canada. "The Foodgrains Bank program is well supported by the entire agriculture industry - from farmers and rural communities, to retail outlets and input suppliers. It is a pleasure for us to make this offer and we are glad so many projects have chosen to use Monsanto products this season."

In addition to supporting the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Monsanto Canada's corporate giving program seeks opportunities to support associations or programs with a focus on science and agricultural education; agricultural awareness; leadership and development opportunities for rural youth; and farm safety. More than $300,000 annually is provided to charitable and community groups across the country through Monsanto Canada's corporate giving program.

Last year, just over $100,000 in Monsanto branded product was utilized by Foodgrains Bank growing projects.

"The strength of our growing project program lies in the farmers and communities who volunteer their time and effort to make a difference in the lives of hungry people," said Jim Cornelius, executive director, Canadian Foodgrains Bank. "But the support of all players in the agriculture industry is also critically important to local projects and allows them to donate the total value of their harvest to our program, without worry about using some of the harvest to pay for the cost of inputs."

Since 1983, Canadian Foodgrains Bank has provided over 900,000 metric tonnes of grain to people in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Eastern Europe. You can learn more at www.foodgrainsbank.ca.