ST. LOUIS—Monsanto’s annual research and development (R&D) pipeline update outlines 11 project advancements including the first biotechnology product with a direct consumer dietary benefit and two of the largest commercial product launches in the company’s history. These and other projects in the company’s R&D pipeline are expected to help farmers meet the unprecedented global challenges facing agriculture.
Products moving forward include SDA omega-3 soybeans; Genuity™ SmartStax™ refuge-in-a-bag; and Monsanto's first insect-protected Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans designed for the Brazilian market.
The first two of Monsanto's seven High Impact Technologies (HIT) projects—Genuity™ SmartStax corn and Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans—have graduated from the pipeline and are expected to arrive at farmer's fields this year through broad commercial launches.
Monsanto's SDA omega-3 soybeans also advanced to Phase 4. SDA omega-3 soybeans offer a sustainable, land-based source of SDA that readily converts to the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil. Last year, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) notice affirming that the SDA omega-3 soybean oil could be used in a variety of foods.
