The European Commission approved the import, processing and use in animal feed of Monsanto's NK603 Roundup Ready Corn grain in the European Union (EU), conditional upon its pending approval under the EU Novel Foods Regulation. Monsanto's NK603 corn, which is designed to be tolerant to the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides, is currently marketed as Roundup Ready Corn 2.

"Monsanto welcomes the Commission's ruling on Roundup Ready Corn 2 technology," said Brett Begemann, executive vice president of International Commercial for Monsanto. "This decision is welcome progress toward completing the necessary regulatory approvals for Roundup Ready Corn 2 technology in the EU. We're hopeful that this is a signal that the European Communities and its member states are serious about ending the moratorium on biotech approvals."

Earlier, the Council of Ag Ministers failed to reach a qualified majority on the use of NK603 corn and its processed products as foods and food ingredients under the Novel Foods Regulation. This decision will continue in the regulatory process.

The approval does not include the approval of Roundup Ready Corn 2 for cultivation in the EU, which is the subject of a separate submission under Directive 2001/18/EC. Monsanto is also currently awaiting decisions on separate submissions for its corn trait technologies stacked with NK603 corn.

Last week, the Argentine government approved Monsanto's NK603 Roundup Ready event for planting in that country. The approval ensures that Argentine corn growers will have access to the technology in hybrids as early as the 2004 planting season and is expected to expand global adoption of the herbicide-tolerant technology.

Roundup Ready Corn technology was first introduced in the U.S. in 1998. The Roundup Ready system encourages the adoption of conservation tillage practices, which reduces soil erosion, improves water quality and wildlife habitat, while optimizing yields.

Monsanto's preliminary 2004 sales data suggests that acres planted with Roundup Ready Corn are expanding in the U.S.; acres planted are expected to increase for a seventh consecutive season, and it is estimated to be planted on 16 million acres this season, up from 12 million acres last year.

"While we work to complete the remaining steps in the EU process, we remain focused on making progress in our marketing efforts for Roundup Ready Corn," said Kerry Preete, vice president of U.S. Crop Production for Monsanto. "Throughout this season, we're working closely with U.S. growers and grain elevators to help better identify the existing domestic market opportunity for Roundup Ready Corn hybrids marketed under the Market Choices program," said Preete.

Growers planting Roundup Ready Corn 2 hybrids will need to market the grain under the Market Choices program until all remaining steps of the EU regulatory process are completed.

The Market Choices program identifies those hybrids that are fully approved for food and feed use in the U.S. and Japan, but are still awaiting the necessary approvals in the European Union. Growers that plant Market Choices hybrids must use appropriate markets for this grain including feedlots, feed mills, on-farm feeding, or work with grain handlers who agree to accept the grain. Growers should contact their local seed dealers and grain handlers for more stewardship details.

"By continuing the focus on expanding the grower choices for grain marketability, we believe the U.S. market for Roundup Ready Corn will be close to 20 million acres in the 2005 growing season, with a longer-term market potential of 50 million acres," Preete said.