DOW IN BRAZIL: Dow AgroSciences wins OK for Brazil GMO corn seed

Dow AgroSciences wins OK for Brazil GMO corn seed

Dow has long played second fiddle in the seed market to Monsanto, DuPont's (DD.N) Pioneer unit and Syngenta (SYNN.VX). It has various licensing agreements with all three, but also aggressively competes with the trio.

Critics say the altered plants cause environmental harm in many ways, including through increased use of herbicides, which creates weed resistance, and potential health problems for animals and people.

Dow's share of the United States corn market is roughly 4 to 5 percent. Powercore corn will primarily fight above-ground pests in Brazil, whereas Dow's SmartStax corn in the United States fights above- and below-ground pests using eight genetic traits.

Earlier this month Dow announced a new genetic trait for U.S. corn that will be tolerant to Dow's own 2, 4-D herbicide as well as Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, to which most weeds are increasingly resistant.

As part of its effort to expand its seed business, Dow is assessing opportunities in South Africa, where rivals Monsanto and DuPont already have a strong footprint.