Elite seed genetics, excellent performance, exceptional yield potential these are all outstanding attributes of the new 05 Elite soybean varieties from Asgrow and DEKALB.

These 25 new varieties 18 from Asgrow and 7 from DEKALB offer growers highyielding soybeans with the most extensive lineup of in-seed protection against pests and disease.

The new 05 Elite class of varieties raises the bar on performance even higher. In 963 comparisons conducted last year, the 2005 new Asgrow varieties outyielded Pioneer's varieties by an average of 3.8 bushels per acre, and DEKALB s new varieties outyielded Pioneer by an average of 2.7 bushels per acre in 507 comparisons.

We invest aggressively to improve the performance of Asgrow and DEKALB varieties in order to provide producers with higher yield potential, greater disease and pest tolerance, and, ultimately, greater profits, explains Dion McBay, Asgrow and DEKALB Soybean Marketing Manager for Monsanto. Monsanto invests $500 million every year in developing advanced seed and technologies that can deliver greater success to growers. This year is no exception. We are confident that the outstanding performance of our new 05 Elite soybeans will excel at meeting the needs of soybean growers.

Each year, soybean growers experience a $2 billion loss of profit potential to diseases and pests.1 With the new Asgrow and DEKALB varieties, growers can look forward to significantly more yield potential and even greater protection against pests and disease such as soybean cyst nematode and Phytophthora root rot.

The Group III varieties of the new 05 Elite varieties include seven high-yielding soybeans with a variety of disease resistance traits, including tolerance to Phytophthora and soybean cyst nematode, says Tim Schlueter, U.S. Soybean Product Manager for Asgrow and 1 Wrather, J.A., Koenning, S.R., and Anderson, T.R. 2003. Effect of Diseases on Soybean Yields in the United States and Ontario (1999-2002). Plant Health Progress PHP-2003-0325-01-RV. http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/php

DEKALB. AG3101, for example, is one of the outstanding new varieties that we are eager to bring to the market. Its top-performing genetics outyielded competitors by 5.6 bushels per acre in 155 comparisons, and it possesses soybean cyst resistance, excellent brown stem rot tolerance and very good sudden death syndrome tolerance, adds Schlueter. We encourage growers to take a look at AG3101 at summer field days and to look at other exceptional 05 varieties such as AG2203, a Roundup Ready variety with a strong combination of high yields and cyst resistance. Other key 05 elite varieties to be on the lookout for this summer are AG1903, AG3305, AG3602, DKB36-52, AG3802 and AG4801.

We are proud to launch our 05 Elite Asgrow and DEKALB soybeans as a step in helping farmers to continue to have great success on their soybean acres. They will certainly see the benefit of exceptional performance and quality soybeans with advanced, high-yielding genetics; great profit potential; and outstanding tolerance against diseases and pests, says McBay.

Growers who want to preview the 05 Elite Asgrow and DEKALB soybean varieties can attend field days and plot tours in locations throughout the United States. For more information about Asgrow and DEKALB soybeans and upcoming field days, growers should contact their sales representative or local retailer or see www.monsanto.com.

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is a leading provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.