BASF and Monsanto team up for co-promotion of Headline on seed traits

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. and ST. LOUIS, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- BASF Corporation and Monsanto Company announced a co-promotional agreement today that will see each partner's sales force promote Headline(R) fungicide from BASF -- an ideal combination to help corn and soybean growers improve yields and manage risk.

"Today's agreement is significant for BASF and Headline," said Markus Heldt, Group Vice President, North America, BASF Agricultural Products. "We're seeing a lot of momentum for Headline fungicide driven by outstanding results from growers who applied Headline last year. This agreement provides another platform for us to take that message and share those success stories with even more corn and soybean growers."

The agreement, which covers marketing to corn and soybean growers nationally, recognizes that successful growers are looking for crop production system solutions that are proven to boost yield and reduce their risk.

"Monsanto is committed to delivering farmers high-yielding seed and trait systems. We believe the Headline co-promotion agreement provides us the opportunity to further enhance crop yields through disease protection," shared Ernesto Fajardo, Vice President of U.S. Crop Production for Monsanto. Although the delivery methods are different, seed traits and Headline fungicide, when used together, offer farmers preventative risk management protection to enable optimum yield production.

Under the agreement, Headline will be promoted in Monsanto's Roundup Rewards(R) program.

"Headline is the proven fungicide. In addition to the millions of acres applied over the past two years, Headline has proven to offer a yield advantage in over 5,000 on-farm field trials covering more than one-quarter of a million acres," said Andy Lee, Director, Business Operations, U.S. Crop Protection Products for BASF. "Corn growers rely on the outstanding disease control performance of Headline to protect the investment they make each season in seed traits." By preventing disease, Headline triggers Plant Health(TM) benefits that are apparent right up to harvest. Growers who use Headline in corn report more vigorous plant growth and stress tolerance advantages, such as better standability, improved harvestability, bigger ears and increased yields.

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.(R)

With sales of 3,079 million euros in 2006, 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 crop yields and crop quality. Other uses include public health, structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants, vegetation management, and forestry. 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. Further information can be found on the web at http://www.agro.basf.com/.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF employs more than 15,500 in North America and had sales of approximately $14.3 billion in 2006. For more information about BASF's North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit http://www.basf.com/usa.

About BASF

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 high-value products and intelligent system solutions help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to meet the challenges of the future and open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. BASF has over 95,000 employees and posted sales of 52.6 billion euros (approximately $66.1 billion) in 2006. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at http://www.basf.com/.

About Monsanto

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For more information, please visit: http://www.monsanto.com/.

Always read and follow label directions.

Headline is a registered trademark and Plant Health is a trademark of BASF.

  Roundup Rewards is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.


  Forward-Looking Statements:

  As it pertains to BASF:

This press release contains forward-looking statements under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of BASF management and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of BASF to be materially different from those that may be expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include those discussed in BASF's Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this presentation.

As it pertains to Monsanto:

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, such as statements concerning the company's future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non- historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: the success of the companies' research and development activities; the costs of and the companies' abilities to access and enforce intellectual property needed for the collaboration; the costs and requirements of regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received; public acceptance of biotechnology products; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this presentation. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.