Gothenburg, Nebraska
April 30, 2008
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced plans to create
a new center that will focus on technologies, corn breeding and
agronomic practices to address water management in crop
production.
The new center represents a $6 million investment that will
expand the size and focus of the company's current facility in
Gothenburg. Pending acquisition of the land, Monsanto plans to
begin construction of the new facility this summer and complete
the project sometime in 2009.
The new center will be known as the Monsanto Water Utilization
Learning Center. This site will offer farmers and other
stakeholders a first-hand opportunity to view water-use
efficiency technologies such as drought-tolerant crops and other
approaches, including seeds and agronomic practices, that can
aid in water management. The new facility joins a host of other
research being undertaken by Monsanto and the company's
collaborators in the area of drought tolerance and water
utilization around the world.
"Water is a major factor in agriculture production. Every crop
acre faces some degree of water stress at some point in the
growing season," said Robb Fraley, chief technology officer at
Monsanto.
"Research in drought tolerance and improved water management
could offer farmers a way to reduce agriculture's impact on the
environment." Fraley added, "Our vision is to create products
that could allow farmers to achieve more consistent yields even
during times of water stress. This center will help us advance
this research to improve farmers' productivity, helping them
meet growing demands for feed, food and fuel."
Earlier this year, Monsanto advanced its first-generation
drought-tolerant corn technology to Phase 3 of the company's
four-phase research and development (R&D) pipeline. The
advancement was a significant step, as it marked the agriculture
industry's first drought-tolerant crop to advance to the
regulatory phase.
The first-generation drought-tolerance trait is designed to
enhance yield stability when water is limited. It is the first
product in a family of drought traits that has the potential to
provide cost savings in irrigation and protect against drought
stress in normal rain-fed areas. These drought projects are part
of broader R&D collaboration with the German-based company,
BASF, on developing novel
yield and stress trait technologies.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity and food quality. |
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