Monsanto expects to receive U.S. approval for its Round Up Ready 2Xtend soybean seeds which it claims “will become the new global soybean platform” by the end of 2014, with international approvals to follow in 2015. The seeds will be resistant to a wider range of herbicides and will be paired with a stronger weedkiller giving farmers a better tools to combat weeds that have become resistant to herbicides such as glyphosate and dicamba. Monsanto has already licensed the genetics enabling the soybean seeds to be resistant to herbicides to North American seed companies and plans to use the genetics in seeds it sells in South America. This technology, which Monsanto has been working to get approval for since 2010 is a large part of the company’s plan to double its earnings within the next five years.
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