AgroPages-Monsanto’s XtendiMax herbicide with VaporGripTM technology approved by EPA for in-crop use-Agricultural news

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced today that the EPA has approved XtendiMax^TM herbicide with VaporGrip^TM Technology, a low-volatility dicamba herbicide, for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans and Bollgard II® XtendFlex® cotton. This significant milestone will provide farmers the opportunity to utilize dicamba in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System in 2017.

With XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology approved for in-crop use by EPA, farmers can now look forward to another tool for use within the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System in the United States in 2017, pending state approvals. Monsanto is in a strong position to supply dicamba demand to support the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System in soybeans and cotton. Monsanto projects over 15 million Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean acres and over 3 million acres of Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton in 2017.

“We’re excited to enable another piece of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System to farmers in 2017,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto president and chief operating officer. “Based on the great demand we’ve seen in 2016, we know our farmers are looking forward to the benefits of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, including in-crop use of dicamba and glyphosate. Growers have been asking for this industry leading technology for years, and we’re excited to be able to provide it in 2017.”

The Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System is intended to provide farmers with more consistent, flexible control of weeds, especially tough-to-manage and glyphosate resistant weeds, and to help maximize crop yield potential. The system will include Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, the industry’s first biotech product with tolerance to dicamba and glyphosate herbicides, and Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton, providing tolerance to three herbicides, dicamba, glyphosate and glufosinate.

“We’re pleased that we’ll be able to provide XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology in 2017. It will be an effective and economical weed control tool as part of Roundup Ready PLUS® Crop Management Solutions,” said Ryan Rubischko, North America dicamba portfolio lead. “XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology introduces a step-change reduction in volatility potential compared to dicamba formulations currently on the market today. With the EPA’s approval of XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, we will build on our existing education programs and best management practices using XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology in-crop with the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System.”