Research Triangle park, North Carolina
January 9, 2001

Aventis CropScience said today that all corn containing the company's LibertyLink(R) gene is approved for feed and food use both in the United States and in the country's major export markets. 

Aventis' statement comes in the wake of recent announcements from two seed companies to
postpone the introduction of eight corn hybrids that contain a combination of the LibertyLink gene
and the YieldGard(R) Bt gene. 

The seed companies - Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and Cargill Hybrid Seeds - have withdrawn plans to market the seed for the 2001 season because the European Union has not yet approved the eight LibertyLink/Bt hybrids for import into its member countries. 

"In 2001 growers can plant any LibertyLink hybrid offered for sale and be certain the grain produced is fully approved for feed and food use by all of our major export partners," said Don McAghon, seed account manager for Aventis. 

"By postponing their introduction of these eight hybrids, Pioneer and Cargill have reduced a great
deal of the confusion surrounding the marketing of LibertyLink grain," he said. 

Like all other major U.S. corn export partners, the EU has fully approved LibertyLink corn hybrids and YieldGard corn hybrids separately. The EU, however, requires an additional registration for hybrid corn made from one parent line that contains the LibertyLink gene and another parent line that contains the YieldGard gene. 

By contrast, the EU has approved all Novartis NK(R) brand LibertyLink/YieldGard hybrids for import because the two traits are joined together in the same genetically enhanced parent line. 

Pioneer and Cargill will continue to market their already approved LibertyLink-only and YieldGard-only hybrids. 

The LibertyLink gene confers resistance in corn to Liberty(R) herbicide, a tool growers throughout the United States depend on to control more than 100 tough broadleaf and grass weeds. 

For more information about LibertyLink corn, go to www.cornexperts.com or call 1-888-AVENTIS
(1-888-283-6847). 

(c)2000 Aventis CropScience 2 T.W. Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27709. 
Liberty and LibertyLink are registered trademarks of the Aventis Group. 
YieldGard is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company. 
NK brand is a registered trademark of Novartis Seeds. 

Company news release
N3240