Plant Impact PLC USA launch of Fortalis® (5945X)

TIDMPIM

RNS Number : 5945X

Plant Impact PLC

22 February 2017

 
 For immediate release   22 February 2017 
 

Plant Impact Plc

("Plant Impact" or the "Group")

USA launch of Fortalis(R) soybean crop enhancement product

Plant Impact (AIM: PIM), a leader in research and development in crop enhancement products that growers can rely on to improve the yield and quality of their crops, is pleased to announce its US launch of Fortalis(R), a yield-enhancing foliar spray for soybean. This product launch represents Plant Impact's first commercial sales into the important US soybean market following several years of research and pre-commercial grower trials in the US.

Fortalis(R) is now available to US retailers and growers and will be marketed in the 2017 crop season across key soybean-growing states via three new commercial partnerships with Helena Chemical Company, GROWMARK, and the Van Diest Supply Company. These partners represent three of the leading distribution partners in the US agricultural market. Collectively, they provide agronomic support, advisory and supply services across 100% of the US soybean growing states.

Fortalis(R) contains the second generation of Plant Impact's patented CaT(TM) technology, optimised for US soybean growing conditions and grower practices and subject to a pending patent application. Fortalis(R) was also recently introduced by Bayer CropScience in the Argentine soybean market. This product is the second generation of the technology behind Veritas(R), which has been sold to growers in Brazil over the past four growing seasons.

Plant Impact recently completed a three-year research scale and pre-commercial grower trial programme using Fortalis(R) across the US soybean growing regions. These tests have shown particular improvements in soybean crop health when Fortalis(R) is applied in conjunction with foliar soybean fungicides marketed by the industry's largest agrochemical manufacturers. Specifically, across results from nearly 150 treatment comparisons, when Fortalis(R) is combined in a tank mix with the grower's preferred foliar fungicide, soybean crop yields improve by an average of 4.8 bushels per acre vs. an untreated control. This is equivalent to more than a 9% improvement on average US soybean yields, and these results have been achieved in conjunction with a variety of fungicides. The Fortalis(R) promotional program for growers and retailers in 2017 is therefore designed to integrate the Plant Impact technology with grower's preferred choice of soybean foliar fungicide in a tank mix. This has led to the Group's decision to work directly with major distribution partners that market these relevant leading fungicides, such as Helena Chemical Company, GROWMARK and the Van Diest Supply Company.

In the 2016 season, the USA held its position as the world's largest producer of soybeans, with the country's crop covering 86.5 million acres (35 million hectares). However, while a new world record-breaking soybean yield of over 180 bushels per acre was set last season, average US yields are just over 52 bushels per acre. Estimates are that only 16% of the US acres are currently treated with a fungicide, indicating a significant new market opportunity for growers to combine use of Fortalis(R) and a soybean fungicide to improve overall yields due to better disease control and improved plant health.

John Brubaker, Plant Impact CEO, commented:

"I am delighted to announce the US launch of Fortalis(R) and these new commercial partnerships. Growers across the US are facing challenging economic conditions and there is no better time to find new ways to drive more value from the same acres. Fortalis(R) can help growers close their yield gap by pushing yields closer to their potential and it is the second product to achieve our exacting Quality Standard. We are proud to be working with some of the very best distributors in the United States and look forward to launching Fortalis(R) with these partners to improve soybean plant health and bring value to our US retail and grower customers."

For further information, contact:

Plant Impact

John Brubaker, Chief Executive Officer Tel: [phone]

Richard Amos, Chief Financial Officer Tel: [phone]

Ailish Tracy, Global Communications Manager Tel: [phone]

Peel Hunt (Nominated Advisor and Broker)

Adrian Trimmings Tel: [phone]

George Sellar

Buchanan

Charles Ryland Tel: [phone]

Sophie Cowles

Jane Glover

www.plantimpact.com www.fortalisyields.com

About Plant Impact

Established in 2003, Plant Impact plc's head office and primary research facility are at the

Rothamsted Centre for Research and Enterprise (RoCRE) in Harpenden, United Kingdom (near

London). The Group has additional offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Using in-house scientific research and via collaborations with academic and research institutes, the

Group has developed reliable crop enhancement products that improve both yield and quality. Multi

year trials have proved the impact of the products and their compatibility with other plant protection

inputs. Plant Impact markets products in more than 20 countries, via regional agrochemical distributors

and global strategic partners that growers trust.

Our US Fortalis distributors

GROWMARK www.growmark.com

Helena Chemical Company www.HelenaChemical.com

Van Diest Supply Company www.vdsc.com

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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February 22, 2017 12:00 ET (17:00 GMT)