BASF Buys CropDesign

NEW YORK - May 17/06 - SNS -- BASF bought the Belgium company, CropDesign, but did not disclose financial details.

CropDesign´s employees will continue to work at the research facilities in Gent, Belgium, which will become a unit within BASF Plant Science.

CropDesign specializes on traits for yield-enhancement, drought tolerance and improved nutrient use efficiency of crops such as corn and rice. Traits are important plant characteristics driven by genes and are the basis of the commercial use of plant biotechnology. BASF Plant Science´s long-term strategy is to develop the next generation plant biotechnology products that offer clear benefits for consumers and the environment.

In December 2005, BASF Plant Science and CropDesign signed a broad licence and research agreement. The acquisition now secures BASF Plant Science full access to additional traits and to all research and development options of the company that were not yet covered.