Corn growers across America now have an innovative new broad-spectrum herbicide to combat yield-robbing weeds in their corn acres with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration of Status® herbicide from BASF.

“BASF is very excited to launch Status as the premier herbicide for broadleaf weed control in corn,” says Leon Duchene, Status Product Manager with BASF. “Status offers superior broadleaf weed control while providing growers peace of mind with crop safety and simplicity.”

The innovation of Status is based on three key components: active ingredients dicamba and diflufenzopyr, as well as a unique patented safener – isoxadifen. Together, these ingredients enhance control of all major broadleaf weeds in corn while setting a new standard in crop safety from BASF.

“What we’re finding is that the addition of the safener isoxadifen is making this a much more useable product, decreasing the risk of crop phytotoxicity considerably, and therefore, I think, it makes a much more useful product from the grower perspective,” says Mike Owen, Extension Weed Specialist and Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University, one of the university researchers conducting trials on Status. An ideal tank-mix partner with
glyphosate, Status can be used in both Roundup Ready® acres and as a stand alone for broadleaf weed control on conventional corn acres.

“Status will be the preferred tank-mix partner with glyphosate on Roundup Ready corn,” says Duchene, “Status will increase the performance on toughto- control broadleaf weeds while helping manage the spread of glyphosate
resistance.”

Trials were conducted at major universities across the U.S. last season. In addition to efficacy and crop safety, the results confirmed the simplicity and flexibility of this new herbicide. Status® herbicide has a wide application
window, works with a wide variety of adjuvants and offers crop rotation flexibility year after year.

Weeds controlled by Status include lambsquarters, buckwheat, kochia, giant and common ragweed, cocklebur, pigweed species, velvetleaf, ladysthumb, nightshade, and more.

With sales of €3,298 million in 2005, BASF’s Agricultural Products division is a leader in crop protection and a strong partner to the farming industry providing well-established and innovative fungicides, insecticides and
herbicides. Farmers use these products and services to improve crop yields and crop quality. Other uses include public health, structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants, vegetation management, and forestry.
BASF aims to turn knowledge rapidly into market success. The vision of BASF’s Agricultural Products division is to be the world’s leading innovator, optimizing agricultural production, improving nutrition, and thus enhancing
the quality of life for a growing world population. Further information can be found on the web at www.agro.basf.com.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable
partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent system solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. BASF has over 95,000 employees and posted sales of more than €42.7 billion (approximately $50.4 billion) in 2005. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.