Indianapolis, IN - January 05, 2006

Dow AgroSciences LLC announced today that mancozeb, the active ingredient in its Dithane* fungicides has successfully completed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) re-registration process required for all crop protection chemicals sold in the United States. Under U.S. law, all pesticides registered prior to 1984 must undergo reregistration, an evolving health and safety review process in which regulators seek new scientific data to address existing and hypothetical concerns.

"We are extremely pleased with this positive outcome to one of the most significant and rigorous regulatory reviews ever," said Fabian Gil, Dow AgroSciences' global business leader for Dithane fungicides. "This means that the health and environmental aspects of Dithane have been thoroughly evaluated by the EPA, and growers in the U.S. can continue to rely on one of the most widely used fungicides in the world."

The EPA is requiring some label changes based on their review. Dow AgroSciences and other mancozeb registrants voluntarily withdrew five uses-- residential turf, foliar application to cotton, pineapple propagation, athletic fields, and use on pachysandra. "No significant negative impacts are anticipated in the user community as alternatives exist to control disease problems," said Gil. "We determined that these uses were seldom employed, and the costs to generate required data could not be economically justified." Dow AgroSciences remains committed to all of the other uses on the label including golf courses, sod farms, nurseries, greenhouses and numerous agricultural crops, and anticipates adding new uses in the near future as part of a separate registration effort.

Dithane® and Fore® fungicides are members of a family of fungicides known as ethylene bisdithiocarbamates (EBDCs). Worldwide, EBDCs are applied to an estimated 100 million acres of crops worth between $90 billion and $100 billion ($US). Dithane® fungicide is the market leader, accounting for approximately 60 percent of EBDC sales, and is approved for use against more than 400 diseases on 70 crops.

About Dow AgroSciences, LLC
Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global leader in providing pest management, biotechnology and crop products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and contribute to improving 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.

*Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC

For Editorial Information:

Garry Hamlin
Dow AgroSciences LLC
317- 337- 4799