RR2Y Press Conference

The Commodity Classic was a great learning experience for me. I had the opportunity to attend the Roundup Ready 2 Yield Soybeans press conference. Before the Commodity Classic I would not have been able to describe what this product was, but now after the press conference I can elaborate on what RR2Y is.

With the commercialization of Monsanto’s second-generation soybean technology in 2009, Roundup Ready 2 Yield, American farmers will enjoy all the benefits of the original Roundup Ready soybean system plus top-end yield potential.

Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans will be introduced on 1-2 million acres for the 2009 season. Initially, this breakthrough technology will be available primarily in maturity groups 2 and 3, where more than 50 percent of U.S. soybeans are grown, according to David Nothmann, Monsanto’s Soybean Agronomic Trait Lead.

With this new type of soybean, farmers should receive a 7 to 11 percent yield increase. In fact, Alan Karkosh, an Iowa farmer, who planted RR2Y soybeans, last year received an 8 percent yield increase. Karkosh agreed to test the RR2Y soybeans in his fields because he has many friends that work for Monsanto and is confident that Monsanto is an upstanding company that will produce yield increases.

David Sasse was another farmer Monsanto had on-hand at the press conference who also planted the RR2Y soybeans in his field. Sasse commented on how strong Monsanto’s regulations were for growing these test products. The soybeans were grown in isolation with Monsanto strongly monitoring each time a piece of equipment entered or left the field.

If you would like to obtain further information on the Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans, please feel free to go to http://www.monsanto.com/rr2y.