PGG Wrightson Seeds to Distribute Marrone Bio Innovations’ Pro Farm UBP Seed Treatment in Uruguay

DAVIS, Calif., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Farmers in Uruguay will have a new solution to grow a more sustainable crop thanks to a new arrangement that will allow PGG Wrightson Seeds (PGGWS), New Zealand’s largest seed company, to distribute Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: MBII) (MBI) line of Pro Farm Technology products. The recently signed agreement provides PGGWS with exclusive crop dependent selling rights to MBI’s Pro Farm UBP seed treatment line for the next five years (2020-2025) in Uruguay.

“South American markets are of key importance to our international expansion plans and this new partnership with PGGWS supports that global growth strategy,” states Kevin Hammill, Chief Commercial Officer of Marrone Bio Innovations. “The introduction of our UBP Seed Treatment to the Uruguayan market provides an innovative product that helps farmers establish healthier plants and increase crop yields.”

The UBP Seed Treatment is based on a proprietary process turning plant-based lignin into a supramolecular, nutrient complex that supports plant growth and improves plant health, resulting in improved yields and crop quality. The seed treatment has proven applications on soybeans, wheat, oats, sorghum, and forage crops, all of which are widely grown in Uruguay.

Matti Tiainen, Managing Director of the Pro Farm added, “PGGWS, owned by DLF Seeds, is an industry leader in providing key crop inputs for Uruguay’s forage and row crops. They also have a presence throughout South America, most notably including Argentina and Brazil. We hope this is the beginning of a growing partnership in the region.”

PGGWS will be using UPB in combination with a proprietary seed treatment for supporting crop growth and controlling pests on lucerne (alfalfa), white clover and bird’s-foot trefoil pelleting, forage grasses such as ryegrass and fescue grass, and row crops such as soybean, sorghum and wheat.

About Marrone Bio Innovations
Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ: MBII) is a growth-oriented company leading the movement to a more sustainable world through the discovery, development and sale of innovative biological products for crop protection and plant health that help customers operate more sustainably while increasing their return on investment. MBI has screened over 18,000 microorganisms, leveraging its in-depth knowledge of plant and soil microbiomes enhanced by advanced molecular technologies and natural product chemistry to rapidly develop seven product lines. Supported by a robust portfolio of over 500 issued and pending patents, MBI’s currently available commercial products are Regalia^®, Stargus^®, Grandevo^®, Venerate^®, Majestene^®, Haven^®, Pacesetter^®, Zelto^® Jet-Oxide^® and Jet-Ag^®, with a next-generation insecticide-nematicide, a breakthrough bioherbicide and a biofumigant in the Company’s product pipeline. MBI’s Pro Farm Finland-based subsidiary employs a proprietary technology derived from wood waste to stimulate plant growth and improve plant health, resulting in improved yields and crop quality. Products include UBP™ 110, Foramin^®, UBP™ Seed Treatment, Foramin^® ST.

Learn more about Marrone Bio Innovations at www.marronebio.com. We also use our investor relations website, https://investors.marronebio.com, as well as our corporate Twitter account, @Marronebio, as means of disclosing material non-public information, and encourage our investors and others to monitor and review the information we make public in these locations. Follow us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Marrone Bio Innovations Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations and plans, including assumptions underlying such statements, are forward-looking statements, and should not be relied upon as representing MBI’s views as of any subsequent date. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date of this release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including, the sales potential in South America, weather, the novel coronavirus COVID-19, regulatory and other factors affecting demand for the MBI’s products, any difficulty in marketing MBI’s products in its target markets, competition in the market for pest management products, lack of understanding of bio-based pest management products by customers and growers. Additional information that could lead to material changes in MBI’s performance is contained in its filings with the SEC. MBI is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter forward-looking statements contained in this release, whether as a result of current information, future events or otherwise.

Marrone Bio Innovations Contact:
Kevin Hammill, Chief Commercial Officer
info@marronebio.com
1-530-750-2800

Investor Relations Contact:
Lucas A. Zimmerman
Senior Vice President
MZ Group – MZ North America
Main: 949-259-4987
MBII@mzgroup.us 
www.mzgroup.us