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THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE 1 April 2004 Dear Friends and colleagues, RE: BAYER CROPSCIENCE WITHDRAWS GM FORAGE MAIZE We wish to inform you that Bayer CropScience has announced that it has decided to “discontinue further efforts to commercialise its GM forage maize variety, Chardon LL, in the UK.” The decision came following the UK’s government announcement on March 9 that it intends to place a number of constraints on its conditional approval for the commercial cultivation of GM forage maize. The company said the process would result in a further delay that would render the five-year old GM crop “economically non-viable”. For further details, please read the company announcement below.
With best wishes, Lim Li Lin and Chee Yoke Heong Third World Network 121-S Jalan Utama 10450 Penang Malaysia Email: twnet@po.jaring.my Website: www.twnside.org.sg REF: Doc.TWN/Biosafety/2004/I Wednesday, March 31, 2004 Following the announcement of the UK Government’s position on GM Food and Crops on 9th March 2004 Bayer CropScience discontinues further efforts to commercialise GM forage maize in the UK Monheim (Germany), Hauxton (UK) - Bayer CropScience has decided to discontinue further efforts to commercialise its GM forage maize variety, Chardon LL, in the UK. The UK Government in its recent policy announcement on GM Food and Crops, indicated that it agreed in principle to the commercial cultivation of this GM forage maize variety and thereby confirmed that this GM product is both safe and effective. Bayer CropScience recognised this announcement as a positive step towards the development of plant biotechnologies in the UK. The Government has however placed a number of constraints on this conditional approval before the commercial cultivation of GM forage maize can proceed in the UK. The specific details of these conditions are still not available and thus will result in yet another ‘open-ended’ period of delay. These uncertainties and undefined timelines will make this five-year old variety economically non-viable. Bayer CropScience remains highly committed to the further development of plant biotechnologies in the UK. “We hope that the UK will be able to benefit from the opportunity afforded by this technology some time in the future. We would like to thank all UK farmers and stakeholders who have supported our efforts to make progress on this project”, said Dr Julian Little, a Bayer CropScience spokesperson. Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 5.8 billion (2003), is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. The company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer CropScience has a global workforce of about 19,000 and is represented in more than 120 countries, ensuring proximity to dealers and consumers. Monheim, Hauxton, March 31, 2004 Contacts: Julian Little, Bayer CropScience, UK Tel: +44 1223 252557 Fax: +44 1223 252426 e-mail: julian.little@bayercropscience.com Lutz Knabe, Bayer CropScience SA Tel: +33 4 72 85 4468 e-mail: lutz.knabe@bayercropscience.com Norbert Lemken, Bayer CropScience AG Tel.: +49 2173 38-3125 E-Mail: norbert.lemken@bayercropscience.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer CropScience AG management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future consolidated results, financial situation, development or performance of the Bayer CropScience AG or our parent company, Bayer AG, and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer AG’s public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including Bayer AG’s Form 20-F). Neither Bayer AG nor Bayer CropScience AG assumes any liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
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