Indianapolis, IN - October 26, 2005

Chlorpyrifos insecticide has received approval for continued use as a crop protection product in Europe, according to an October 21 notice in The Official Journal of the European Union.

Under a 1992 directive, the EU is assessing active ingredients in plant protection products and listing approved substances in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. Inclusion in the Annex I document allows products containing active ingredients chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl to be reregistered by the regulatory authorities of individual EU member states. Chlorpyrifos-containing products such as Dursban™ insecticides are widely used within the EU to protect crops against destructive insect pests.

"Dow AgroSciences welcomes this decision as an outcome of stringent and exacting review by the leading EU scientific and government experts," said Vice-President Antonio Galindez. "Our customers can continue to use these products with the assurance that they have been thoroughly evaluated by the relevant European regulatory authorities."

Annex I inclusion for chlorpyrifos is consistent with a positive recommendation for these products by the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, issued on June 3 and published, August 30, on the Europa Web site.

Other major regulatory actions supporting continued use of chlorpyrifos include the United States Environmental Protection Agency's 2001 decision to reregister agricultural uses of the product and the favorable evaluation of all labeled uses by the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization in 1999.

Registered today in over 100 countries, including most developed nations, chlorpyrifos insecticides have been widely used and extensively studied for three decades, and Dow AgroSciences and other manufacturers continue to update those tests with new technology each year. The worldwide registrations of chlorpyrifos are supported by an extensive proprietary and published database. More than 3,600 studies and reports have been conducted examining the uses and impacts of the active ingredient on human health and the environment. No other pest control product has been researched more thoroughly.

Farmers, technical advisors and agronomists favor products containing chlorpyrifos because they are effective, cost-competitive and have a broad spectrum of activity against many insect pests when compared to alternative products. Additionally, chlorpyrifos is often a preferred choice in the replacement of persistent organochlorine and high toxicity insecticides.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and contribute to the health and quality of life of the world's growing population. Dow AgroSciences has approximately 5,500 people in more than 50 countries dedicated to its business, and has worldwide sales of U.S. $3.4 billion. Dow AgroSciences is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. For more information about Dow AgroSciences, visit www.dowagro.com.

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For Editorial Information:

Garry Hamlin
Dow AgroSciences LLC
+1-317-337-4799