USDA Reports

BASF Corporation BASF
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Paul Redhage
HP Marketing Communications Manager
(919) 547-2136

Syngenta, former Aventis leave HARVEST PARTNERS® program

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (November 5, 2002) – Syngenta and the former
Aventis brands, now owned by Bayer CropScience, no longer will participate in the
HARVEST PARTNERS ® preferred customer program, BASF announced today.

Both companies no longer will participate in the loyalty program at the end of
this season. More than 100 other name brands, not in the crop protection business,
continue to participate in the program and remain with BASF as partners.

“The change in partners combines with our long-term plans for BASF, which
include refining our efforts to be more responsive to changing needs of retailers and
their customers,” said Dr. Wendy Smith, manager of the HARVEST PARTNERS
program at BASF.

Novartis, which became Syngenta in 2001, joined the HARVEST PARTNERS
program as a partner in 1998. Aventis became a partner in 2001 before being
acquired by Bayer CropScience during 2002.

Smith noted that to the extent provided in applicable programs, members were
eligible to earn HARVEST POINTS® award credits on select qualifying Syngenta
products through August 31, 2002. HARVEST POINTS were awarded for purchases
of select former Aventis brands through October 31, 2002.

Grower-members have numerous point-earning opportunities from other
program partners. In addition to select crop-protection products from BASF,
members are able to earn points for services or products purchased through
partners such as Univance^sm Long Distance, Capital One®, Harvest Moon Shopping™
Web site and others.

The recent addition of the Harvest Moon Shopping Web site is an example of
new ways for members to earn HARVEST POINTS.

When accessing the online link from the HARVEST PARTNERS Web site,
members can shop online and earn HARVEST POINTS from more than 100 namebrand
merchants.

HARVEST PARTNERS continues to be the most comprehensive customer loyalty
program for agriculture and is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. For
more information about HARVEST PARTNERS or ways to earn additional HARVEST
POINTS, visit the Web site at www.harvestpartners.com; e-mail
online@hpservicecenter.com; or call (800) 258-2345.

BASF Corporation: Helping Make Products Better™
With sales of Euro 3.5 billion in 2001, BASF’s Agricultural Products division,
headquartered in Mount Olive, New Jersey, USA, is a leading supplier and marketer
of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Based on its broad experience in R&D,
manufacturing, marketing and sales, the vision of BASF’s Agricultural Products
division is to be the world’s leading innovator, optimizing agricultural production,
improving nutrition, and thus enhancing the quality of life for a growing world
population.

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