Indianapolis, IN - December 08, 2008

A leading Brisbane-based sugar industry biotechnology group has joined forces with Dow AgroSciences LLC to research new crop management opportunities for the Australian sugarcane industry.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) and Dow AgroSciences have signed a two-year research collaboration - a major milestone for the Australian sugarcane and biotechnology industries.

CRC SIIB CEO, Dr. Peter Twine, said the alliance meant more resources and expertise would be dedicated to finding bio-based solutions for sugarcane crop management.

“The world is shifting towards innovative crop management technologies that allow us to produce more with far less impact on surrounding environments,” Dr. Twine said.

“Currently weed and pest management costs the Australian sugarcane industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year in lost productivity. However, in terms of reducing these losses, our hands are often tied because overuse of traditional control measures can result in more costly and damaging side effects.

However, bio-based solutions to a wide range of farming obstacles are on our doorstep. Agreements, such as the Dow AgroSciences/CRC partnership, take us one step closer to making these solutions reality,” Dr. Twine said.

According to Dow AgroSciences Vice President for New Business, Kay Kuenker, this collaboration will allow the organisations to combine technologies and capabilities to accelerate discovery and development of novel sugarcane products.

Dow AgroSciences is dedicated to applying biotechnology to develop superior traits that can result in higher yields. The CRC SIIB is a unique alliance of Australia’s top sugarcane biotechnology research groups.

CRC Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology

The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) is an alliance of Australia's top sugarcane biotechnology expertise. The collaboration and expertise in this CRC is unparalleled through the combination of research institutions including four Universities, sugar industry research organisations, Federal and Queensland State Governments, and commercial partners. This CRC has a bold goal - to add new value to Australian sugarcane. www.crcsugar.com

Dow AgroSciences

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top-tier agricultural company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. Dow AgroSciences provides innovative technologies for crop protection, pest and vegetation management, seeds, traits, and agricultural biotechnology to serve the world's growing population. Global sales for Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, were $3.8 billion in 2007. Learn more at www.dowagro.com.

For Editorial Information:

Robyn Heine
Dow AgroSciences LLC
1-317-337-4807