ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Department of Agriculture has published its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), concluding that Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® 2 Xtend™ soybeans and Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton should be fully deregulated. “The final EIS moves us one step closer to the introduction of Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ soybeans, paving the way to provide access to dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton,” said Miriam Paris, Xtend System Launch Manager at Monsanto Company. “This is a significant milestone in providing farmers new tools to manage weeds and time more efficiently, which will help farmers have better harvests.” Growers across the country are expressing excitement about these new weed management solutions. “This technology will be another tool in the farmer’s toolbox, enabling us to have another mode of action in the fight against resistant weeds,” said Wade Cowan, a farmer from Brownfield, Texas. “Weed resistance contributes to smaller yields, and this dicamba technology will help me better manage weeds.” Before reaching its decision, the USDA considered nearly 5,000 comments submitted by farmers, academic and scientific experts and other key stakeholders. An overwhelming majority of those who provided feedback during the public comment period voiced support for the trait technology. About Monsanto Company Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, canola, and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit: discover.monsanto.com and monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows® at monsantoblog.com or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Monsanto and Vine Design®, Asgrow®, Channel®, Deltapine®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™, Roundup Ready®, are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. ©2014 Monsanto Canada Inc.