FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact

Jim Masilak, (901) 523-2000

Johnson Joins Valent Professional Products as National Sales Manager

WALNUT CREEK, California (April 14, 2010)—Valent Professional Products announced that John Johnson has joined the company as national sales manager for its non-crop business which includes turf, LCO, ornamental and aquatics.

Based in Birmingham, Ala., Johnson will oversee the sales strategy and outreach of the company’s expanding portfolio of products, including Tourney^® Fungicide, Arena^® Insecticide, Safari^® Insecticide and BroadStar^™/SureGuard^® Herbicides.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the turf and ornamental business, Johnson comes to Valent after working with a number of leading industry companies. Johnson most recently served at Agrium Advanced Technologies, where he was director of product innovation. In addition, Johnson worked at Terra Industries, Inc., the Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. and Pursell Technologies, Inc.

“John has extensive high-level experience in the turf and ornamental marketing business and is very familiar with distribution networks and end users,” Valent Professional Products national business manager Scott Todd said. “His educational background, professional experience and skill set make him uniquely qualified to sell Valent’s growing portfolio of best-in-class solutions for the turf, LCO, ornamental and aquatics markets.”

Regarding his decision to join Valent, Johnson said he was motivated by the company’s direction, its people and its products.

“The transformation of Valent Professional Products in recent years from a single-active-ingredient company to a multiple-market, multiple-active ingredient company is very exciting,” Johnson said. “What Valent has achieved is pretty exciting from the outside looking in.”As national sales manager, Johnson says, his focus will be on “continuing to increase support for our channel partners and end users, and on providing solutions that create value for each participant in the transaction.”

A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Johnson graduated from Auburn University with a degree in agricultural business. He also has a MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

About Valent U.S.A. Corporation
Valent, headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, develops and markets products in the United States and Canada that protect turf and crops, enhance crop yields, improve food quality, beautify the environment and safeguard public health. Valent products include a well-known line of quality herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and plant growth regulator products for professional, agricultural and consumer use. It differentiates itself from its competitors as a leader in marketing and sales of both biorational and traditional chemical products.

Valent Professional Products include, among others, Arena Insecticide, BroadStar Herbicide, Safari Insecticide, SureGuard Herbicide and Tourney Fungicide.

For more information about Valent Professional Products, Valent U.S.A. Corporation or our full product line, please call 800-89-VALENT (898-2536), or visit the Valent Professional Products Web site at www.valentpro.com.

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