Indianapolis, Indiana
February 12, 2008
Dow AgroSciences’ growing technology share was the focus of
a recent presentation to investors made by Jerome Peribere,
president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences. Peribere spoke to
investors at the Goldman Sachs Agricultural Chemicals Conference
in New York City. At the conference, Peribere reinforced the Dow
AgroSciences’ technology-based strategy of growing its
agrichemicals business while developing new biotechnology
products and platforms.
“We believe the company with the best technology will ultimately
generate the most value,” said Peribere. “We are building our
capabilities to do exactly that and provide our customers with
revolutionary solutions.”
He cited numerous examples of the company’s innovation. Chemical
solutions highlighted include aminopyralid herbicide, which is
rapidly becoming the standard in the range and pasture segment
with use in other crops such as cereals and oilseed rape being
explored. The company is launching its new insecticide
spinetoram in 2008 as well as its new broad-spectrum cereal
herbicide pyroxsulam, which was recently registered in Canada
under the brand name SIMPLICITY™ herbicide. A new sap-feeding
insecticide continues to advance rapidly through the company’s
pipeline.
Dow AgroSciences made a great deal of progress enhancing its
seeds business in 2007, and Peribere cited examples from the
Americas which show the company is strengthening its corn,
cotton, sunflower, and canola product portfolio.
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A key move in 2007 was the
company’s announcement of its SmartStax™ agreement with
Monsanto, creating the industry’s first eight-gene stack of
traits in corn. As a result of this scientific breakthrough,
Peribere expects Dow’s HERCULEX™ insect protection technology to
be on approximately 40 percent of U.S. corn acres in the
SmartStax launch year of 2010 and on about 60 percent of acres
by 2012. This technology package will be further enhanced when
Dow AgroSciences launches its Dow Herbicide Tolerance technology
in 2012 for corn, and in 2013 for cotton and soybeans.
“Glyphosate resistance is a growing reality in key crops, and
our family of herbicide tolerance traits as part of an overall
technology offering will help growers address both grass and
weed issues with multiple classes of herbicides,” said Peribere.
To continue bringing innovation to market, the company is using
cutting-edge science such as Sangamo BioSciences’ zinc finger
protein technology. Peribere announced Dow AgroSciences has
confirmed the power of zinc finger proteins, working in
combination with a plant’s natural DNA repair mechanisms, to
accomplish specific and targeted modifications of the plant's
own genetic sequence. This capability, unique to zinc finger
proteins, will be a key component of the company’s future,
enabling delivery of ‘designer’ crops into new and existing
markets.
Peribere concluded that growth for Dow AgroSciences will
continue as it develops technology leadership, builds a
billion-dollar corn business and continues to advance its ag
chemical pipeline.
Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is
a top-tier agricultural company that combines the power of
science and technology with the "Human Element” to constantly
improve what is essential to human progress. Dow AgroSciences
provides innovative technologies for crop protection, pest and
vegetation management, seeds, traits, and agricultural
biotechnology to serve the world's growing population. Global
sales for Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow
Chemical Company, are $3.8 billion.
™Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC
SmartStax™ is a trademark of Monsanto Company |
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