Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
January 9, 2006

BASF Canada Agricultural Products announced today the launch of SOLO™, a new broad-spectrum, post-emergent herbicide for CLEARFIELD® canola and field peas.

Particularly well-suited for the brown and dark brown soil zones, SOLO is designed to provide the follow-crop flexibility that growers desire, combined with the targeted weed control that they require.

“SOLO is a welcome addition to our herbicide portfolio, providing growers with another reliable option for their CLEARFIELD canola and field peas,” says Michael Schaad, Herbicide Market Manager, Oilseeds and Pulses for BASF. “By keeping follow-crop options open while also delivering broad-spectrum weed control, SOLO gives those growers looking for a balance between these two attributes exactly what they need.”

With the lowest level of residual activity of all BASF herbicides, SOLO offers greater follow-crop flexibility. The major crops that can be seeded the year following an application of SOLO include canola (all types), spring barley, durum wheat, spring wheat, field peas, tame oats and flax.

In addition, SOLO provides reliable grassy weed control and targeted broadleaf control. Key grassy weeds SOLO controls include: Group 1 resistant Wild Oats, Volunteer Wheat, Volunteer Barley and Green
Foxtail. Key broadleaf weeds controlled include: Cow Cockle, Green Smartweed, Lamb’s Quarters, Redroot Pigweed, Shepherd’s Purse, Stinkweed and Volunteer non-CLEARFIELD Canola. SOLO also has wide window of application which means growers can control early-emerging weeds before they start to affect yield.

SOLO was evaluated during the 2005 growing season in 60 field-scale sites (45 field pea and 15 CLEARFIELD canola) across Saskatchewan. The sites were monitored regularly to measure weed control and performance. Feedback from the growers who participated in these SOLO applications was positive.

Lorne Pinceman, a grower from Kindersley, Saskatchewan who applied SOLO to his CLEARFIELD canola last season remarked, “I was very happy with the weed control that SOLO provided on my canola crop. It did everything we needed it to do, including excellent control of volunteer cereals and wild oats.”

With sales of €3,354 million in 2004, BASF’s Agricultural Products division is a leader in crop protection and a strong partner to the farming industry providing well-established and innovative fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. Farmers use these products and services to improve yields and quality of agricultural crops. Other uses include public health, structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants. BASF aims to turn knowledge rapidly into market success. 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.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2004, BASF had approximately 82,000 employees and posted sales of more than €37 billion. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF) and Zurich (AN).

™ SOLO is a trademark of BASF Canada Inc.
® CLEARFIELD is a registered trademark of BASF.