Level System Costs (NAPSA)—Weed management technology introduced nearly a decade ago has enabled soybean growers to enjoy more economical and reliable weed control, greater convenience and higheryields. For 2005, there’s more good news for farmers who use the Roundup Ready Soybean System technology: Monsanto recently announced that the companyis cutting the list price of its Roundup Original MAX herbicide significantly for the 2005 season. Theprice reduction means that farmers who grow Roundup Ready soybeans in 2005 will have the opportunity for a similar cost per acre, compared to this year, when purchasing the Roundup Ready Soybean trait and Roundup Original MAX.Aspart of the announcement, the company also unveiled an enhanced Roundup Rewards program for growers who utilize Roundup WeatherMAX or Roundup Original MAX aspart of their Roundup Ready Soybean System. “These changes will enable farmers to choose the Roundup branded product they want, without sacrificing the proven crop safety, efficacy and risk-sharing benefits they've come to expect with a Roundup brand,” said John Raines, U.S. Marketing Lead for Monsanto. Consumers benefit as well, since soyfoods have been increasing in popularity in recent years and because soybean oil represents about 79 percent of all edible oil consumed in the United States It is estimated that the U.S. consumes more than 18 billion pounds of soybean oil annually in a wide variety of food manufacturing and foodservice applications. For nearly a decade, the Roundup Ready System has taken the complexity and worry out of crop production, eliminating endless hours spent tilling and spraying fields, working with three to four different herbicides and burning beans attempting to control weeds. As a result, Roundup Ready Soybeans have been planted on approximately 90 percent of U.S. soybean acres. “The market share for Roundup Ready Soybeans shows just how well this technology has been accepted by U.S. growers,” said Ron Heck, chairman of the American Soybean Association. “Weed control has become less expensive Weed management technology introduced nearly a decade ago has enabled soybean growers to enjoy more economical and reliable weed control, greater convenience and higher yields. and much more reliable. I don’t knowof any other technology trait that has been as rapidly accepted.” “It really all ties to economics,” says Dr. David Shaw, professor of weed science at Mississippi State University. “Growers can cover a broad range of weed control with one product that is very economical and simple to use. The simplicity of the system—with everything in one package—is one of the strongest selling points.” Adding Economic Value Since the introduction of Roundup Ready Soybeans, total input costs have declined by over $10 per acre. The technology has also enabled a growing numberof producers to adopt conservationtillage practices, which allow soybean farmers to steward the land, improve soil quality, reduce erosion and optimize their use of natural resources, such as fossil fuels, water and plant nutrients. In facet, more than half of farmers surveyed credit Roundup Ready Soybeansas the factor that had the greatest impact on their adoption of reduced tillage or notill soybeans. A total of 832 field trials conducted by Monsanto between 1996 and 1998 showed that by using the Roundup Ready Soybean System, soybeans yielded an average 2.6 bushels per acre more than soybeans with a conventional herbicide system. Combining the yield advantage of the Roundup Ready Soybean System with the cost savings of notilling provides growers with a potential gross profit advantage averaging $22 more than a conventional soybean herbicide program on a conventionally tilled acre.
