In mid-March, Syngenta Crop Production filed a civil suit in Federal District Court against Monsanto in response to what they believe are false and misleading claims dealing with a comparison of Roundup and Touchdown herbicides.

The company launched its legal complaint amidst a continuing promotional campaign by Monsanto that Syngenta feels contains false and misleading claims about the efficacy of its Touchdown with IQ Technology herbicide and its safety on Roundup Ready crops. The lawsuit seeks to remedy what Syngenta staffers believe is false and misleading advertising and promotional practices, trademark infringement and misuse, product disparagement and trade libel among other claims.

“Monsanto is deliberately attempting to create confusion in the marketplace between Syngenta’s Touchdown 5 herbicide and Touchdown herbicide with IQ Technology,” says Vince Alventosa, vice president and general counsel for Syngenta Crop Production. “Our suit is designed to prevent misleading advertising claims and to set the record straight.”

Touchdown 5 herbicide was granted a label extension by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1999 for use only over Roundup Ready soybeans. Touchdown herbicide with IQ Technology was registered by the EPA in 2000 for use over Roundup Ready soybeans, cotton and corn as a replacement for Touchdown 5.

OTHER NO-TILL NEWS...

• Gustafson has introduced a new soybean fungicide, SoyGard with Protege, that is effective against several troublesome diseases such as rhizoctonia, pythium and phytophthora. The product represents a new generation of fungicide protection that offers an added defense through the time of germination for your no-till soybean seed.
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