'In these tough economic times, one may wonder why anyone – other than class action lawyers – would seek to destroy what EPA estimates is a $2 billion annual economic benefit to the nation, and all of the jobs that go with it,' Reeg said. 'This lawsuit has no merit because we know from EPA-mandated testing that no water systems since 2005 have exceeded the annual average guidance for atrazine. We intend to defend ourselves vigorously.'

Atrazine is a widely-used herbicide in the U.S. and 60 countries around the world to help grow safe, affordable and abundant crops, including corn, sorghum, and sugar cane. EPA re-registered atrazine in 2006, stating it would cause no harm to the general population.

'This suit is no surprise, as the same plaintiffs' attorneys who have been trying a wasteful case in Madison County, Ill., have been shopping this around for years,' said Reeg. 'Just last month, plaintiffs in Illinois voluntarily dismissed numerous damage and liability claims they had made in their case. With that disarray, it appears attorneys are scrambling to another venue in which to waste scarce taxpayer resources with junk science and false allegations for personal gain at the expense of U.S. agriculture.

'Filing in federal court appears to be a mis-step, given the Iberville Parish, La., case which was dismissed by Chief Judge Butler in Mobile, Ala., in 1999. Judge Butler ruled that removing safe and approved levels of atrazine from drinking water was unnecessary and that shifting the costs of such unnecessary removal was wrong. This decision was also upheld on appeal, and we hope the court will rely on this past verdict to guide future decisions.

'Everyone should bear in mind that if a 150-pound adult drank literally thousands of gallons of water with atrazine at three parts-per-billion every day for 70 years, she still would not reach the exposure level at which no adverse impact has been detected in the laboratory.

'We know these communities are strapped for cash, and suing companies to upgrade their decades-old water systems may seem like an easy way to raise money, but it only harms local farmers who rely on these safely-regulated crop protection tools for their livelihood and to help cost-effectively feed a quickly growing consumer public.

'The many statements by farmers and their associations attest to their support for atrazine and its safety in use. They have for half a century. EPA's atrazine regulation is a model of sound science carefully applied in its mission of protecting all Americans and our environment.

'As a hallmark of good stewardship, my client worked voluntarily with stakeholders for years and since then also with EPA to monitor the water systems where minute detections of atrazine may occasionally occur. Since 2005, no water system has had an annual average atrazine level in its drinking water greater than the EPA standard, which itself carries a 1000-fold safety factor.

'The mere filing of this new lawsuit suggests additional forum shopping by out-of-town attorneys who turn neighbor against neighbor to seek profit for themselves. '

— WebWireID113999 —

Ludwigshafen, Germany - BASF creates measurable value for employees, shareholders, customers and society with its products and solutions, as shown in the Report 2009 published by BASF tomorrow (March 11). The report combines economic, ecological and social aspects. The publication meets the internationally recognized Standards of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for sustainability reporting. The independent institution reaffirmed maximum transparency for the third time in succession, issuing an A+ rating.

The report documents BASF's economic, ecological and social performance and shows how sustainability contributes to corporate success even in times of economic difficulty. For example, energy efficiency studies conducted by BASF in 2009 discovered extensive potential savings: more than €10 million at the Ludwigshafen site alone, and another approximately €25 million at the seven largest Asian sites. In North America, measures already implemented last year are saving the company approximately €4 million in energy costs. These savings also mean significantly lower carbon emissions to the environment.

Energy storage is another area where the company and society gain long-term mutual benefit: in collaboration with partners, BASF plans to develop cathode materials for more efficient and higher-performance lithium ion batteries and so contribute to future mobility.

BASF measures its performance on the basis of clearly defined, in most cases long-term targets and reports annually on the extent to which those targets have been achieved. Thus, in the year of crisis 2009, the company still achieved an EBITDA margin in excess of 14%. Cash flow from operations rose by €1.3 billion to a record level of almost €6.3 billion. Overall, BASF narrowly missed its target of earning a premium on its cost of capital because of the cost of the Ciba integration. Lost-time industrial accidents per million working hours dropped by 46%, and the proportion of senior managers with international experience rose to 77% (in each case versus the respective baseline year).

Last year again, BASF achieved external recognition for its sustainable development strategy and its implementation in the company from a number of sources: for the ninth time running, the company was listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and tops the Materials sector of the prestigious Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. In addition, BASF headed Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) and future e.V. rankings for the title of best German sustainability report 2008.

The Report 2009 is available on the internet as from tomorrow at www.basf.com/report. The online report comes with numerous service features including an interactive statistics comparison, a keyword search facility and a download manager. Readers can use the interactive comparison function to select individual parameters and periods and display the results in the form of a diagram. This year for the first time, parts of the BASF report can be downloaded as audio books/MP3 files. Printed versions of the Report 2009 can be ordered on the internet at http://basf.com/mediaorders.

About BASF

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

— WebWireID113948 —

ST. LOUIS - Women play a critical role in agriculture. Many of these women are wives and moms, which is the inspiration behind Monsanto Company's (NYSE: MON) America's Farmers Mom of the Year, a new nationwide program tied to Mother's Day recognizing the countless contributions that farm moms bring to their families and their communities.

Applications for the America's Farmers Mom of the Year will be accepted at www.AmericasFarmers.com beginning today. From the nationwide call for entries, five regional winners will be announced, with each winning a $5,000 cash prize.

The five winners will be selected based on their contributions to family, farm and community and will be chosen from submissions describing how each nominee embodies the values and hard work that make up the family farm way of life. The American Agri-Women, a national coalition of women's farm, ranch and agribusiness organizations, will partner with Monsanto on this promotion to spearhead the judging process.

One of the five regional winners will then be selected the week before Mother's Day as the America's Farmers Mom of the Year based on online voting on the America's Farmers Web site and receive an additional $2,500 prize.

'Today's farm moms are not only passionate about their families, they also share a common passion and commitment to agriculture,' says Tami Craig Schilling, Monsanto community relations spokesperson and southern Illinois farm mom. 'These women play key roles in agriculture as they manage varied components of their farm operations, nurture and care for their families, and mentor the next generation of farm leaders. The past, present and future of American farming depends on these women, and we are honored to recognize some special farm moms through America's Farmers Mom of the Year program.'

Eligible nominees must be female, at least 18 years old, a mother to one or more natural born or adopted persons or are the legal guardian of one or more persons, and live on a farm that produces at least 250 acres of corn, soybeans, cotton, vegetables and/or specialty crops (canola, sorghum, wheat or alfalfa); and/or at least 40 acres of fruits and vegetables; and/or raise at least 100 head of cattle or hogs; and/or maintain at least 50 head of dairy cows and/or at least 20,000 poultry (broilers or layers) within the United States.

Complete eligibility requirements and official rules for America's Farmers Mom of the Year can be obtained online at www.AmericasFarmers.com or by calling 1-866-735-5267 or sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to America's Farmers Mom of the Year promotion, 914 Spruce St., St. Louis, Mo. 63102.

Monsanto's America's Farmers Mom of the Year is part of the company's America's Farmers campaign, which celebrates the contributions of America's farmers who help provide food, energy and clothing for our growing planet. Monsanto also recently launched a national advertising campaign to build greater consumer awareness about the importance of U.S. agriculture, its economic impact and advances in preserving our vital natural resources.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com . Follow our business on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/MonsantoCo, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed .

— WebWireID113903 —

WACKER has substantially boosted capacity at its Jena site in order to cope with a growing need for high-efficiency biologics production processes, and to meet rising customer demand. The existing GMP-certified (Good Manufacturing Practice) facility now has twice as much production area. A completely new facility for product-purification enables up to three times higher product yields per batch. The new unit meets the GMP requirements of both the US Food and Drug Administration FDA and the European Medicines Agency EMEA. Wacker Biotech can now provide those customers who have biopharmaceuticals at an advanced development stage with sufficient commercial capacity to supply the market.

'Demand for advanced biotech products is growing worldwide. Innovative, biotechnological processes such as WACKER's secretion system ESETEC® allow us to meet demand and continue to shape the developments in biotechnology here in Germany,' WACKER Executive Board member Auguste Willems said during his speech to commission the new facility.

To accommodate growing customer inquiries, the facilities of Wacker Biotech GmbH have been greatly expanded over the last two years. The around €18 million investment by the WACKER Group at Jena's Beutenberg Campus encompassed two projects: in addition to the expansion of the GMP facility, a new lab building for process development and quality control which was built and put into operation back in 2009.

'We now have an ideal system for developing the sophisticated processes and analytical techniques of modern, microbe-based biologics,' explains Dr. Thomas Maier, managing director of Wacker Biotech GmbH. 'This allows WACKER to optimize the entire process chain, from lab operations to industrial GMP production. Customers thus benefit from a full process and analysis package provided from a single source. And with the expansion of our production capacities, we can now make our innovative ESETEC® secretion technology available to still more customers.'

Traditional production methods aside, the focus of the new unit is on the WACKER proprietary technologies, ESETEC® and DENSETEC®, which enable simpler, more cost-efficient and high-yield production of biologics for the pharmaceuticals industry. ESETEC® is based on a patented E.coli K12 strain, which is employed during fermentation to secrete recombinant proteins into the culture broth in natural conformation. Such extra-cellular production facilitates the cleanup of recombinant products and eliminates the complicated refolding stage. The net effect is to render production much more efficient and more cost-effective.

The ability to combine ESETEC® secretion technology with DENSETEC®, a special high-cell-density process for fermenting E.coli, gives WACKER Biotech the capacity to produce active biologics both efficiently and in optimized space-time yields. These robust fermentation processes can be validated, and they permit high, reproducible yields.

About Wacker Biotech
Wacker Biotech GmbH is a full-service contract manufacturer of biopharmaceutical products based on microbial systems. Services at the company's certified multi-purpose site in Jena range from the field of molecular biology to comprehensive analytical services and process development, through the GMP-compliant production of clinical test samples as well as pharmaceuticals for the commercial market. Above all, Wacker Biotech offers proprietary technologies that satisfy market needs for cost-efficient production and maximum quality. Jena-based Wacker Biotech is a wholly-owned WACKER subsidiary.
For further details, visit the following website: http://www.wacker.com/biologics

— WebWireID113747 —

Ludwigshafen , Germany - BASF is the world's most admired chemical company according to a survey carried out by the U.S. business magazine Fortune. The full results of the survey are published in the current edition, which goes on sale on Monday, March 8.

In the 2010 list of the 'World's Most Admired Companies,' BASF has once again been ranked the top company in the chemical industry. Industry experts voted BASF into top position in the chemical industry in the categories of product and service quality, global competitiveness, and quality of management. In addition, for all industries, BASF is ranked number two in Germany. 'To once again be awarded as the world's most admired chemical company is encouraging and a welcome recognition of our efforts. Even in difficult times, we continue to actively shape our future,' said BASF's Chairman Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht.

For the survey, Fortune and its partner Hay Group selected approximately 700 companies worldwide, which were then ranked by more than 4,000 directors, executives and managers in the respective industries.

Further information about the survey can be found on the Internet at http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2010.

Note to editors:

You can download a photo from the BASF homepage at www.basf.com/pressphoto-database , key word: 'BASF SE,' search term: 'Fortune.'

About BASF

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

— WebWireID113669 —

Greensboro, N.C., USA, March 2, 2010—Based on the weight of evidence of more than 6,000 studies, scientists around the world have shown that atrazine is safe to use – providing farmers an important tool to bring us safe, abundant and nutritious food.

A recent study on frog development runs counter to the vast majority of scientific opinion, which shows atrazine has no effect on amphibian development. After a comprehensive study in 2007, regulators and credible scientists agreed that atrazine is safe to frogs at levels that appear in the environment.

The EPA, the Australian government, and the World Health Organization have all looked at atrazine's effects on endocrine systems and given atrazine a clean bill of health.

Most recently, the State of Minnesota conducted a thorough review of atrazine, and in a January atrazine announcement said, 'The review finds that atrazine regulations protect human health and the environment in Minnesota.'

Atrazine is critical for family farms
The EPA estimates the loss of atrazine would cost corn growers $28 an acre in lost yields and substitutes, and the total negative impact on corn, sorghum and sugar cane growers in the U.S. would exceed $2 billion per year.

All studies are not created equal
The soundness of a scientific study hinges on its transparency and reproducibility. Do its procedures and results stand up to review by independent scientific peers and regulatory agencies? Can the study be reproduced with the same findings? This approach safeguards the scientific community, regulators, industry and the public from questionable results.

In testimony before the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives (February 16, 2005), Anne E. Lindsay, former deputy director, Office of Pesticide Programs, US Environmental Protection Agency, detailed the elaborate and meticulous scientific process required for pesticide registration.

She described at length the painstaking process EPA followed before recommending the re-registration of atrazine for use in American agriculture. She noted that EPA "reaches its conclusions through a systematic, objective evaluation of all relevant information. She noted that each step of the process uses scientifically peer-reviewed, documented procedures."

Lindsay testified that EPA looks "closely at every study to determine whether the results are scientifically sound," and that it insists on record retention and full data reporting. She stated that to review these studies, EPA follows "published, peer-reviewed Standard Evaluation Procedures."
Despite EPA's diligent investigative process, a legal and political attack has been launched against atrazine, relying on a handful of studies which, by objective scientific standards, offer questionable conclusions.

Regarding comments on frogs and atrazine
A new set of observations released yesterday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claims effects of atrazine on amphibian development but raises questions about the integrity of the assessments' experimental design.

The study has many shortcomings that undercut its usefulness, including its inconsistency with prior findings by the author. Two other in particular are: 1) the use of only one dose level of atrazine, when almost all studies used to assess the effects of substances for regulatory purposes are conducted at more than one concentration to validate when and if a predicted response happens consistently and; 2) the failure to use a positive control – a basic requirement of this kind of study. Positive controls confirm that the procedure is competent in observing the effect.

One study among many
For 50 years, atrazine has been used safely in agriculture with no effect to amphibians, fish, birds and other wildlife at concentrations found in the environment—a fact that is supported by numerous scientific studies.

Several recent studies add to the collection of 6,000-plus that support atrazine's safety to amphibians. Technical experts can review the following:

• Kloas W, I Lutz , T Springer , H Krueger , J Wolf , L Holden and A Hosmer. Does Atrazine Induce Gonadal Feminization in Xenopus laevis?, Toxicol. Sci. 2009, 107(2) 376-384.
• LaFiandra EM, Babbitt KJ, Sower SA.. Effects of atrazine on anuran development are altered by the presence of a nonlethal predator, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health, Part A, 2008, 71:505-511.
• Oka, T., Tooi, O., Mitsui, N., Miyahara, M., Ohnishi, Y., Takase, M., Kashiwagi, A., Santo, N., Iguchi, T. Effect of atrazine on metamorphosis and sexual differentiation in Xenopus laevis, Aquat. Toxicol, 2008, 87:215-226.
• Storrs SI, Semlitsch RD. 2008. Variation in somatic and ovarian development: Predicting susceptibility. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 156(3):524-530.
• USEPA White Paper on the Potential for Atrazine to Affect Amphibian Gonadal Development. Submitted to the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel for Review and Comment October 9-12, 2007.

Atrazine is safe to use
Atrazine is a legally approved and heavily regulated product after exhaustive research including nearly 6,000 studies which determined it is safe for use as labeled. There is no other crop protection product that has received more examination than atrazine. Based on sound science and rigorous review, the EPA determined that atrazine poses "no harm that would result to the general U.S. population, infants, children or other ... consumers."

Syngenta is a responsible company. We take the stewardship of all our products seriously -- and atrazine is no exception.

Our 4,500 employees across the United States share a common purpose -- bringing plant potential to life. We all have families, so we are all interested in seeing that atrazine is properly regulated in the water we drink. We are convinced that it is. We all enjoy the safe and abundant supply of food that our products bring to our tables.

For more information, visit http://www.atrazine.com.

About Syngenta
Syngenta is one of the world's leading companies with more than 25,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to http://www.syngenta.com or http://www.growmorefromless.com.

Related links:
http://www.atrazine.com
http://www.syngenta-us.com
http://www.syngentacropprotection.com

— WebWireID113571 —

For any RFID project, RFID tag testing is an integral piece. A major pain point for end users is finding, ordering and testing possible RFID tags. RFIDTags.com has the largest selection of RFID tags and makes it painless to quickly locate RFID tags for your project by providing multiple search options and online sample pack order fulfillment.

'The new interface is much more user friendly by placing the RFID tags under four groups: Vertical Market, Application, Frequency and Tag Type. We feel that the new upgrades will make it easier for RFID users to quickly identify, order and receive RFID sample packs thereby helping to reduce the pain of finding the right tag for their project,' says BlueBean President Gregg Maggioli.

RFIDTags.com is offering a special on RFID tag sample packs. End users and systems integrators can purchase the tags in small quantities which includes free 2-day shipping as well. All tags are in stock and ready to be shipped.

RFIDTags.com has RFID tags of various frequencies available. Users can find a large selection of passive RFID tags, active RFID tags, RFID labels and RFID cards for their specific applications. 'We have a tag available for almost any application,' adds Maggioli. 'From metal mount RFID tags to RFID tags for the apparel industry, if you need it, RFIDTags.com has it!'

About RFIDTags.com

RFIDTags.com, part of BlueBean's suite of RFID-related websites, is the leading online website dedicated to providing the largest selection of RFID tags, labels and cards from the top RFID manufacturers. End users enjoy the depth of information they can conveniently find in a single location. RFID manufacturers enjoy the search engine visibility that RFIDTags.com provides by ranking on the first page for all major search engines. Different RFID tag types – active, passive, apparel, rugged, laundry, LF, HF, UHF and more – can easily be researched and sample packs ordered.

RFIDTags.com is proud to have Alien Technology as our cornerstone sponsor, UPM Raflatac as our HF category sponsor and Avery Dennison as our UHF category sponsor.

— WebWireID113531 —

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/pdf/green_paper.pdf

WREA also has a free download of a white paper on how financial accounting should handle carbon costs. The download weblink is:

http://www.wreainc.com/ecea.pdf

WREA recently announced its agreement for resale of EMSPRO(TM) licenses for the Power Generation sector. EMSPRO(TM) is a highly in-depth program that tracks the entire footprint of a facility or organization or entity. It is a highly scalable program in that it can be used by the largest of organizations or by governments, yet it can also be used by small entities. This program has been offering carbon footprint capabilities in the U.S. And internationally since the days of the Kyoto Protocol. EMSPRO offers a powerful punch on a simple platform by combining the best of web technology as well as the spreadsheet interface to the XML. Its more than fifteen years on the field as a pollutant tracking program have given it the extra edge when anyone is looking for an efficient carbon tracking program that is highly scalable for the enterprise, while economical and easy to use.

WREA Inc. is a company that is focusing on the renewable energy sector by looking at all phases of the industry and executing those aspects into individual projects. A key component in any of today's industry is the carbon footprint associated with the company. WREA Inc. through its agreement for deployment of time-tested enterprise pollutant tracking software EMSPRO(TM), offers highly sophisticated and economical solutions to track companies' carbon footprints.

— WebWireID113527 —

WASHINGTON - Alex Avery, Director of Research and Education at the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues, criticized new research by University of California Berkeley professor Dr. Tyrone Hayes alleging endocrine disruption in amphibians caused by the popular herbicide atrazine. Prior research by Dr. Hayes has come under scientific scrutiny and criticism by directors of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lacking basic scientific standards and lack of transparency.

Avery pointed to comments by Anne E. Lindsay, former Deputy Director of EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, testified in 2005 that Dr. Hayes' 'data are insufficient' to support his claims.

She further noted: " . . .[EPA] has never seen either the results from any independent investigator published in peer-reviewed scientific journals or the raw data from Dr. Hayes' additional experiments that confirm Dr. Hayes' conclusions."

The EPA's independent Scientific Advisory Panel "believed strongly that all of the field studies reviewed had serious flaws that limit their usefulness..." and "these problems render interpretation of results problematic if not impossible."

Lindsay's testimony further invalidated any legitimacy of Hayes' work, saying "all of the available information was scientifically flawed. None of [Hayes'] laboratory studies on atrazine were conducted in accordance with standard protocols.""

Avery's own thorough review of past research by Dr. Tyrone Hayes can be found at http://www.cgfi.org/2002/10/30/frog-sex-change-claims-flawed/.

"Dr. Tyrone Hayes has spent more than a decade allied with eco-activists peddling scare stories due to alleged health effects from atrazine. Yet despite his decade-long search and after more than 50 years of widespread use of this herbicide by farmers to minimize soil erosion while combating weeds, Hayes can offer no compelling real-world evidence that atrazine poses any appreciable risk to amphibian populations anywhere," Avery stated. "Aside from his own often-conflicting lab studies, other researchers have not seen the effects Hayes claims to have found. Replication is the gold-standard of science and Hayes' work has failed this test miserably."

"Finally, it should be noted that Dr. Hayes is an admitted anti-atrazine activist and has aligned himself closely with organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), organizations with a clear track record of campaigns against popular herbicides, large scale farm production and effective tools that have revolutionized agriculture today," Avery concluded.

Alex Avery is an expert in agricultural policy from a global perspective, with reference to both economic and environmental impacts. He has followed extensively the benefits of atrazine and has provided testimony before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on many occasions during its re-registration process.

About The Hudson Institute Center for Global Food Issues
The Center for Global Food Issues staff conducts research and analysis of agriculture and the environmental concerns surrounding food and fiber production. The Center uses its worldwide overview of food and farming to assess policies, improve farmers' understanding of the new globalized farm economy, and heighten awareness of the environmental impacts of various farming systems and food policies. http://www.cgfi.org

— WebWireID113477 —

The download weblink is:
http://www.wreainc.com/ecea.pdf

Recognizing that each facility has unique requirements because of the combination of existing equipment, monitoring devices and data gathering ability, WREA Inc. is able to offer unique solutions to each facility by uniquely matching the data input types and record keeping requirements with verifiable calculations and procedures in an easy-to-use and robust manner. Additionally, services are offered in optimally using the most appropriate computational procedure that, once chosen, must be used as a baseline for future years. WREA Inc. solutions thus offer adaptability, economy and scalability in size and performance.

WREA recently announced its agreement for resale of EMSPRO(TM) licenses for the Power Generation sector. EMSPRO(TM) is a highly in-depth program that tracks the entire footprint of a facility or organization or entity. It is a highly scalable program in that it can be used by the largest of organizations or by governments, yet it can also be used by small entities. This program has been offering carbon footprint capabilities in the U.S. And internationally since the days of the Kyoto Protocol. EMSPRO offers a powerful punch on a simple platform by combining the best of web technology as well as the spreadsheet interface to the XML. Its more than fifteen years on the field as a pollutant tracking program have given it the extra edge when anyone is looking for an efficient carbon tracking program that is highly scalable for the enterprise, while economical and easy to use.

WREA Inc. is a company that is focusing on the renewable energy sector by looking at all phases of the industry and executing those aspects into individual projects. A key component in any of today's industry is the carbon footprint associated with the company. WREA Inc. through its agreement for deployment of time-tested enterprise pollutant tracking software EMSPRO(TM), offers highly sophisticated and economical solutions to track companies' carbon footprints.

— WebWireID113466 —

In May 2009 both companies already announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the intended swap. The transaction is subject to various external approvals. Closing is expected in Q2 2010.

For both companies the businesses they will add to their portfolios as a result of the intended swap of activities provide a strong strategic fit. DSM Engineering Plastics will be able to further reinforce its position as one of the globally leading producers of polyamide engineering plastics and expand its position in Japan, an important market where innovation and sustainability are driving growth.

A number of key employees of DSM's polycarbonate business will transfer to MCC. A number of employees of MCC will be seconded to DSM. It is also envisaged that MCC will establish an R&D unit at the Chemelot Research and Technology campus in Geleen (Netherlands).

DSM Engineering Plastics
DSM Engineering Plastics is one of the world's leading suppliers of quality engineering thermoplastics providing customer value through sustainable solutions that reflect the DSM People, Planet and Profit strategy. DSM Engineering Plastics delivers innovative opportunities for customers who design or produce electrical applications, electronic equipment, cars, barrier packaging films as well as many mechanical and extrusion applications. These markets are served with a broad portfolio of high performance materials including Akulon® 6 and 66 polyamides, Arnitel® TPC, Arnite® PBT and PET polyesters, Yparex® extrudable adhesive resins, and Stanyl® high heat 46 polyamides. Most recently, DSM Engineering Plastics has introduced the first new polymer of the 21st century: Stanyl® ForTii™ and EcoPaXX™, a bio-based, high performance engineering plastic. DSM Engineering Plastics had sales in 2009 of EUR 648 million with 1600 employees employed worldwide. More on: www.dsmep.com.

— WebWireID113374 —

Ludwigshafen, Germany - BASF creates chemistry: This is the central idea of the company's new global image campaign that will be launched at the beginning of March. For the first time, BASF is combining its market communications and targeting decision-makers in business and society with a single global campaign that will run in print, television and online media.

The advertising motifs focus on global trends such as the future of mobility or energy efficiency, as well as solutions for minor everyday problems such as waterproof adhesive bandages. In its campaign, BASF combines chemistry as the science of interactions between substances with the interaction between people and their environment. The recurring theme is the reconciliation of apparent opposites: A house made of bank notes stands in a wintery landscape and above it appears the caption 'Warm houses love energy bills' – a surprising statement at first sight. But BASF resolves the contradiction. A wide variety of intelligent insulation materials lower energy consumption and thereby help to reduce energy costs.

'Chemistry creates added value for all groups in society. The global campaign shows just how important strong and positive relations with customers, partners and employees are to us,' said BASF Chairman Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht.

In the past, BASF's image campaigns differed from region to region. For the first time, BASF will now use the same campaign idea in print, television and online advertisements in Europe, North and South America and Asia Pacific. 'The uniform global campaign helps to sharpen the profile of the BASF brand worldwide. In addition, we increase the efficiency of our investment in the band by combining activities in a single campaign,' explained Elisabeth Schick, head of Communications & Government Relations at BASF.

The campaign was developed by an international team from BASF's Corporate Brand Communications together with the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam. In the future, the theme of the advertising campaign will also be used in other areas of brand communication such as employer branding or customer communication.

More information about the motifs of the campaign is available at www.basf.com

All motifs are explained detailed on a special website for the campaign:
Read more on the campaign

About BASF

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

— WebWireID113291 —

• Ways to make soybeans grow in the most extreme climates around the world.
• Ways to make soybean oil a better and sustainable ingredient for biodiesel.
• Helping to make our energy sources, like the U.S. agriculture system, as sustainable as possible.

The United Soybean Board, a U.S. soy research and promotion group representing the nearly 600,000 soybean farmers across the country, supported the soybean genome mapping project, spanning several years and published recently in the journal Nature.

Another way the United Soybean Board promotes soybeans and sustainability includes helping new soy-based products come to fruition, thus replacing petrochemicals.

'We solicit soy research applications, review the concepts and select them based on their technical merit and market potential,' says Marty Ross of the process by which the Board looks for products to fund. Ross, chair of the United Soybean Board's New Uses Committee, adds 'Number one, the product must be technically feasible – can it be done? And, number two, just because it can be done, is it viable?'

Last year, United Soybean Board volunteers found plenty of viable products with 26 new soy-based products hitting the market with the effective and efficient organization's help. Products included soy plastics, coatings, inks, solvents and adhesives. For a full list of these soy products, visit the United Soybean Board's Soy Products Guide.

U.S. soybean farmers are committed to using sustainable production methods to meet the needs of present and future generations. U.S. soybean farmers continue to adopt technology and best practices to increase productivity while remaining to be good stewards of the environment.

About the United Soybean Board

The United Soybean Board represents a group of volunteer farmer-leaders administering a U.S. soy research and promotion program known most commonly as the 'soybean checkoff.' Through the soybean checkoff, U.S. soybean farmers invest a portion of their sales in research and promotion to provide food, feed, fuel and fiber to the world. By building demand for such things as biodiesel, soybean meal, soybean oil, soy exports and more, the soybean checkoff helps ensure a profitable future for all U.S. soybean farmers.

On the Web:

Web site: http://www.unitedsoybean.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/UnitedSoy
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

— WebWireID113255 —

The Foundation's mission is to support the Greater Big Sky Community, including the Bozeman area, through grants distributed to eligible community groups. The Foundation is privately funded and managed by Yellowstone Club members and management.

'As a major employer, Yellowstone Club is an intrinsic part of the Big Sky community's economy. We also want to partner with the community to make it a better place to live and work. We are aware of the needs here, and the opportunities to make a difference,' said Sam Byrne, Principal, CrossHarbor Capital Partners, LLC, and president of the YCCF board. CrossHarbor is an investment firm that, with club members and Discovery Land Company, purchased Yellowstone Club in June 2009.

'Previous efforts funded by club members (the former DreamCatcher Foundation and Big Sky LIFT) have had a positive impact on our community at a time when many families were struggling due to the economic downturn,' said Loren Bough, a Yellowstone Club member and full-time Big Sky resident. 'Yellowstone Club members are committed to the Big Sky community, and YCCF provides a mechanism for them to provide ongoing support for qualified nonprofit organizations.' Bough founded LIFT and is vice president of the board of YCCF.

YCCF will provide grants to eligible local, nonprofit or government entities twice a year. The initial grant applications are due by April 1, 2010. For more information on the foundation, qualifications to be considered for a grant, or the online application form, visit www.yellowstoneclubfoundation.org.
About Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, Inc
Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, Inc. (YCCF) was established in 2009 to provide a resource to nonprofit community organizations in the Greater Big Sky and Gallatin Valley area. Funded by members, friends, ownership and management of Yellowstone Club, YCCF will provide grants to eligible organizations that promote community service, education and conservation. For more information about the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation visit: http://yellowstoneclubfoundation.org/about-yccf/.

— WebWireID113254 —

POET Senior Vice President of Science and Technology Mark Stowers has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) expert workgroup to help better assess the true carbon footprint of all fuel sources under the state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Stowers is one of 30 experts from around the world appointed to the group, which will "assist the Board in refining and improving the land use and indirect effect analysis of transportation fuels," according to the CARB resolution. The group will come up with recommendations to present to CARB by Jan. 1, 2011.

"The Low Carbon Fuel Standard is an important piece of energy policy, too important to rely on theories or unproven models," Stowers said. "As the lone representative for ethanol producers in the workgroup, I want to make sure than all carbon accounting is based on the wealth of facts and accumulated data regarding agriculture, energy and deforestation. I also want to ensure that all fuels, including oil and electricity, are held to the same accounting standards as biofuels so that the rule truly can lower carbon emissions."

Stowers has led efforts at POET to create new, efficient processes for producing grain-based ethanol that save energy, limit water use and improve ethanol yields. He also leads POET's cellulosic ethanol effort, known as Project LIBERTY, which produces ethanol from corn cobs.

"I am honored to be a part of this diverse group of academic, government and industry experts," Stowers said. "There will no doubt be some significant points for debate during our meetings, but I am confident in saying that we all pursue a common goal: to make our environment clean and safe."

The group's first meeting will be Feb. 26 in Sacramento.

About POET
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

— WebWireID113049 —

Cornucopia, Wisconsin: With the growing success of organics, and increasing consumer interest in buying foods that were grown on sustainable farms without toxic chemicals, Sara Lee Corporation has launched, with much fanfare, a marketing campaign for its EarthGrains bread, chock-full of environmental-friendly catchphrases.

Sara Lee claims that 'Eco-Grain™,' an ingredient actually used in small proportions in its EarthGrains brand breads, is more sustainable than organic grain. What has been described as a "crass and exploitive marketing ploy" has angered many in the organic community.

'Corporations like Sara Lee clearly want to profit from consumers' interest in ecological and healthy food production. But unlike organic companies, Sara Lee is doing practically nothing to ensure its ingredients are truly ecologically produced,' said Charlotte Vallaeys, a Food and Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based organic industry watchdog. 'It's a crass example of a corporation trying to capitalize on the valuable market cachet of organic, while intentionally misleading consumers—without making any meaningful commitment to protect the environment or produce safer and more nutritious food.'

The Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group, points out that the farmers who grow Eco-Grain differ very little from most conventional grain producers who use petroleum-based fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides, and have little in common with certified organic farmers.

The one attribute that Sara Lee uses to differentiate Eco-Grain production is that the farmers, although they use chemical fertilizers, incorporate technology that has reduced fertilizer usage by 15%. In contrast, as mandated by federal law, organic farmers are required by law to reduce their synthetic fertilizer use by 100%.

Organic farmers use natural fertilizers, compost and crop rotations to enrich the long-term health of the soil, without damaging the environment or potentially contaminating the food produced.

However, Cornucopia's Vallaeys points out that, 'Even if their new fancy wheat were truly superior, each EarthGrains 24 ounce loaf contains only 20% flour from Eco-Grain, with the remainder of the bread's wheat coming from regular, conventional wheat. The total reduction in chemical fertilizer use in a loaf of EarthGrains bread therefore amounts to a meager 3%.'

"Even though they've done a countrywide media rollout, including underwriting spots on National Public Radio, Sara Lee is, in essence, playing a shell game," said Mark A. Kastel, Codirector at The Cornucopia Institute. "Even as they had the audacity to promote a bread with just 20% of their 'value added' wheat, the rest of their product line has 0% content of the Eco-Grain. If advertising executives could be charged with malpractice, this would be a major felony,' Kastel said.

The Cornucopia Institute has written to the CEOs of both Sara Lee and NPR requesting that the "misleading and unethical" packaging and advertising campaign, and associated advertising and underwriting, be immediately suspended while the corporations investigate their propriety.

In addition to the organic prohibition against chemical fertilizers, federal regulations also prohibit organic farmers from using toxic pesticides that are commonly applied to conventional wheat fields, including those growing 'Eco-Grain.'

One such pesticide typically used in conventional wheat production is 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), which EPA researchers have correlated with numerous birth defects of the respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as defects like clubfoot, fused digits and extra digits. Other research has linked the use of toxic pesticides on wheat fields to increased cancer mortality rates.

And, in addition to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conventional wheat farmers sometimes use synthetic fungicides and other chemicals to treat their fields.

'For Sara Lee to claim that their wheat is ecologically grown and sustainable, when they appear to make no effort to reduce or eliminate their use of toxic pesticides, that have terrible effects on the environment and public health, is highly disingenuous,' says Nathan Jones, who grows organic wheat in King Hill, Idaho and chairs the Organic Advisory Board of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

In addition to shunning toxic agrochemicals, organic farmers are required to improve the long-term health of their soil, and increase biodiversity on their farms.

"Unfortunately, this is another example of a major agribusiness trying to blur the line between products labeled 'organic' and 'natural',' stated Kastel, who acts as Cornucopia's Senior Farm Policy Analyst. 'It seems that some corporations, like Sara Lee, appear more interested in corporate profit and greenwashing than true environmental stewardship, and are doing everything they can to take advantage of this confusion among consumers," Kastel added.

'The term 'natural' on products like bread is not regulated by state or federal government,' says Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition at New York University. 'Companies that use the term 'all natural' essentially come up with their own definition.'

In addition, some of Sara Lee's other bread ingredients, such as soy oil and soy lecithin, are grown and processed using genetic engineering and chemical extraction with the toxic solvent hexane, both technologies that are banned in organic production.

In online marketing materials, Sara Lee even claims that farming methods used to produce its '100% Natural' bread 'have some advantages over organic farming.' They cite only one ecological advantage, claiming that organic farmers require more land than conventional growers.

'This claim does not hold up against recent scientific data," said Alison Grantham, Research Manager at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, an agricultural research, education and outreach group. 'Long-term trials, such as our nearly 30-year-old Farming Systems Trial, show long-term average organic farming systems' crop yields match conventional farming system yields, and that the improvements in soil health achieved by organic management actually support higher yields during droughts.'

'I just can't believe that Sara Lee would claim to be more sustainable than organic bakers like me," affirms Daniel Leader, a certified organic bread baker and owner of Bread Alone Bakery in the Hudson Valley, New York. 'In deference to my customers, I've made an investment in real sustainability by going organic, and for Sara Lee to tarnish the good name of organics, and even claim to be superior to organic bread, is simply unacceptable.' Bread Alone Bakery is certified by the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, a certifier accredited by the USDA.

Sara Lee's longtime ad jingle campaign doesn't seem to be ringing true for organic farmers, bakers and consumers—'Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee.' It will remain to be seen whether spending more money on marketing and advertising than on Eco-Grain itself will pay off for the agribusiness giant.

—30—

More:
For more information on the difference between EarthGrains bread and organic bread, The Cornucopia Institute has prepared a fact sheet, available at http://www.cornucopia.org/eco-grain/eco-grain-fact-sheet.html

The letter sent to the CEO of Sara Lee and NPR can be viewed here: http://www.cornucopia.org/eco-grain/SaraLee_NPRletter.pdf

The EarthGrains/Eco-Grain investigation is the first in a series of Natural Versus Organic profiles that The Cornucopia Institute will be issuing in 2010.

The campaign is intended to empower consumers and wholesale buyers with marketplace knowledge so that they can make good, discerning purchasing decisions—providing their families and customers with truly superior food that pays dividends for human health, the environment and society.

The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit farm policy research group, is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Their Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate and governmental watchdog assuring that no compromises to the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces are made in the pursuit of profit. Their web page can be viewed at www.cornucopia.org.

— WebWireID113021 —

The Smarta 100 is the ultimate business accolade, recognizing the UK's smartest small businesses. Smarta.com has uncovered remarkable companies who have gone the extra mile to differentiate themselves from the market or found clever ways to compete, from their marketing plan to their ethical stance. The result is a fascinating insight into the unique business ideas that are thriving in the current economic climate.

The finalists proved to the judges that they have what it takes to run a successful venture, from spotting a new opportunity to making it a reality. And the high-profile panel were delighted to see that ambitious people are saving hard and raising finances to turn their ideas into flourishing businesses.

Deborah Meaden commented:
'Discovering great new businesses is a passion of mine as is encouraging businesses to think and work better. The Smarta 100 does both of these things – and celebrates the best of British business at the same time. I was delighted to see ambitious people saving hard and raising finances to turn their ideas into flourishing businesses '

Smarta.com founder Sháá Wasmund said:
'Socially conscious, disruptive businesses that are not afraid to challenge the status quo are being set up in the four corners of the country. I founded Smarta to make sure these enterprises are supported at any stage of development. The results speak for themselves – the Smarta 100 list is a collection of remarkable success stories.'

The full results and details of the winning companies can be found at smarta.com/smarta100.

Chris Bonnett, founder of Gardening Express commented "I am very proud to have had the achievements I have made with this firm [ www.GardeningExpress.co.uk ] recognised, this proves that hard work ultimately leads to success. I could never have imagined when I first started this business that I would already be having success recognised by the high profile entrepreneurs that have selected the smarta100"

- Ends –

Media Enquiries
For access to case studies, images and all other media enquiries, please contact Catherine Nicholls on 020 7881 7784 / 07789 644 979 / smarta@tetra-strategy.co.uk.

Gardening Express – Chris Bonnett, 08000 33 61 61
Digital Images & Interviews Available on Request

About Smarta.com
The brain-child of entrepreneur Sháá Wasmund, Smarta.com is a free online business resource for small business owners. Supported by renowned entrepreneurs Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meaden and Michael Birch, Smarta.com provides advice and business tools as wells as a space where business owners can network and support each other. Smarta has more than 1,000 guides, case studies and video interviews in which leading UK entrepreneurs share their experience and knowledge. Visit www.smarta.com to learn more.

About Gardening Express
www.GardeningExpress.co.uk, based in Chelmsford, Essex, is a leading online Garden Centre in the UK. The business was created by founder CEO Chris Bonnett, and has grown to be a thorn in the side of traditional rivals with it's dynamic approach and new thinking. The concept is simple; a dedication to quality, service and value for money, has resulted in this entrepreneur taking Gardening Express to be one of the UK's largest online garden centres in just a few short years.

— WebWireID112991 —

The impact of global warming on food prices and hunger could be large over the next 20 years, according to a new Stanford University study. Researchers say that higher temperatures could significantly reduce yields of wheat, rice and maize – dietary staples for tens of millions of poor people who subsist on less than $1 a day. The resulting crop shortages would likely cause food prices to rise and drive many into poverty.

But even as some people are hurt, others would be helped out of poverty, says Stanford agricultural scientist David Lobell.

Lobell will be discussing the results of his research at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego.

"Poverty impacts depend not only on food prices but also on the earnings of the poor," said Lobell, a center fellow at Stanford's Program on Food Security and the Environment (FSE). "Most projections assume that if prices go up, the amount of poverty in the world also will go up, because poor people spend a lot of their money on food. But poor people are pretty diverse. There are those who farm their own land and would actually benefit from higher crop prices, and there are rural wage laborers and people that live in cities who definitely will be hurt."

Lobell and his colleagues recently conducted the first in-depth study showing how different climate change scenarios could affect incomes of farmers and laborers in developing countries. He will present the results on Feb. 20 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego.

Household incomes

In the study, Lobell, former FSE researcher Marshall Burke and Purdue University agricultural economist Thomas Hertel focused on 15 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Hertel has developed a global trade model that closely tracks the consumption and production of rice, wheat and maize on a country-by-country basis. The model was used to project the effects of climate change on agriculture within 20 years and the resulting impact on prices and poverty.

Using a range of global warming forecasts, the researchers were able to project three different crop-yield scenarios by 2030:

* "Low-yield" – crop production is toward the low end of expectations.
* "Most likely" – projected yields are consistent with expectations.
* "High-yield" – production is higher than expected.

"One of the limitations of previous forecasts is that they don't consider the full range of uncertainties – that is, the chance that things could be better or worse than we expect," Lobell said. "We provided Tom those three scenarios of what climate change could mean for agricultural productivity. Then he used the trade model to project how each scenario would affect prices and poverty over the next 20 years.

"The impacts we're talking about are mainly driven by warmer temperatures, which dry up the soil, speed up crop development and shut down biological processes, like photosynthesis, that plants rely on," he added. "Plants in general don't like it hotter, and in many climate forecasts, the temperatures projected for 2030 would be outside the range that crops prefer."

Results

The study revealed a surprising mix of winners and losers depending on the projected global temperature. The "most likely" scenario projected by the International Panel on Climate Change is that global temperatures will rise 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) by 2030. In that scenario, the trade model projected relatively little change in crop yields, food prices and poverty rates

But under the "low-yield" scenario, in which temperatures increase by 2.7 F (1.5 C), the model projects a 10 to 20 percent drop in agricultural productivity, which results in a 10 to 60 percent rise in the price of rice, wheat and maize. Because of these higher prices, the overall poverty rate in the 15 countries surveyed was expected to rise by 3 percent.

However, an analysis of individual countries revealed a far more complicated picture. In 11 of the 15 countries, poor people who owned their own land and raised their own crops actually benefited from higher food prices, according to the model. In Thailand, for example, the poverty rate for people in the non-agricultural sector was projected to rise 5 percent, while the rate for self-employed farmers dropped more than 30 percent – in part because, as food supplies dwindled, the global demand for higher-priced crops increased.

"If prices go up and you're tied to international markets, you could be lifted out of poverty quite considerably," Lobell explained. "But there are a lot of countries, like Bangladesh, where poor people are either in urban areas or in rural areas but don't own their own land. Countries like that could be hurt quite a lot. Then there are semi-arid countries – like Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi – where even if prices go up and people own land, productivity will go down so much that it can't make up for those price increases. In the 'low-yield' scenario, those countries would see higher poverty rates across all sectors."

Under the "high-yield" scenario, in which global temperatures rise just 0.9 F (0.5 C), crop productivity increased. The resulting food surplus led to a 16 percent drop in prices, which could be detrimental to farm owners. In Thailand, the poverty rate among self-employed farmers was projected to rise 60 percent, while those in the non-agriculture sector saw a slight drop in poverty. In Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Uganda, poverty in the non-farming sector was projected to decline as much as 5 percent.

Risk management

Lobell said that, although the likelihood of the "low-yield" or "high-yield" scenario occurring is only 5 percent, it is important for policymakers to consider the full range of possibilities if they want to help countries adapt to climate change and ultimately prevent an increase in poverty and hunger.

"It's like any sort of risk management or insurance program," he said. "You have to have some idea of the probability of events that have a big consequence. It's also important to keep in mind that any change, no matter how extreme, will benefit some households and hurt others."

The Program on Food Security and the Environment at Stanford is an interdisciplinary research and teaching program that generates policy solutions to the persistent problems of global hunger and environmental damage from agricultural practices worldwide. The program is jointly run by Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

BY MARK SHWARTZ

Mark Shwartz is communications manager at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University.

— WebWireID112974 —

Syngenta has been recognized by Fast Company magazine as one of the world's most innovative companies.

Syngenta was one of the select companies recognized from thousands reviewed by Fast Company magazine in its annual evaluation of "the creativity at work in the global marketplace." Syngenta was included in Fast Company's rankings of the ten most innovative food companies, where it ranked sixth and was the only global agribusiness recognized. The full Fast Company article can be found at www.fastcompany.com/MIC/2010.

Fast Company's innovation rankings are based on its editorial team's analysis of thousands of businesses across the globe. The rankings factor in not only revenue growth and profit margins, but also take into account "creative models and progressive cultures," according to the magazine's announcement of this year's honorees.

Syngenta was recognized for its innovation in developing genetically modified seed and crop protection products that are helping farmers improve crop yield around the world to meet the global challenge of feeding an increasing population with reduced land and water resources while minimizing environmental impact. To find out more about what Syngenta is doing to help farmers grow more from less, visit www.growmorefromless.com.

About Syngenta
Syngenta is one of the world's leading companies with more than 25,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta's publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefor.

— WebWireID112876 —

As you shop for a business shirt, pair of socks or a t-shirt, consider these facts from Barnett's blog post:

'One bale, approximately 480 pounds, is enough cotton to make 765 business-casual shirts, 4,321 socks and 1,217 T-shirts. Those items would sell as follows:

• 765 business-casual shirts at $90 a pop would sell for $68,850. At half price they would sell for $34,425 and at 30 percent off half price would sell at $24,097.50. One shirt contains a little more than a half pound of cotton. The farmer gets about 68 cents per pound for higher quality cotton. No matter what the price—$90, $45, or $31.50, the farmer receives about 41 cents per shirt.

• Those 4,321 socks translate into 2,160 pair with one left over. Retail at six pair for $18 comes out to $6,480. The farmer receives about 91 cents for the six pair, or a little over 15 cents a pair.

• And the Nike T-shirts? 1,217 T-shirts would retail at $34,076 for full price; $17,038 half price. The cotton farmer gets about 17 cents per shirt no matter what the price.

So here's where we're at. While our domestic textile mills and manufacturers have almost completely disappeared, foreign workers are making $90 shirts, $18 socks and $25 T-shirts out of bargain-priced cotton and shipping them to the United States. No Made in USA labels here. Meanwhile, our economy is in the pits, unemployment is over 10 percent and farmers struggle to make ends meet.'

About The Texas Farm Bureau
The Texas Farm Bureau is committed to improving the lives of America's farmers through advocacy, education and awareness. It is our goal to tell not only members, but the general public, about TFB's mission and commitment to providing a voice for farmers, ranchers, rural citizens and everyone interested in preserving and protecting this way of life. To read the full blog post by Mike Barnett on Texas cotton farming, visit the Texas Agriculture Talks blog at http://www.txfb.org/TxAgTalks/.

— WebWireID112873 —