MEDIA ADVISORY

Elevance Renewable Sciences Awarded Funding by United Soybean Board for Development of Advanced Commercial Uses of Soybean Oil

Bolingbrook, IL, (December 29, 2009) -- Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. announced today that it has received $109,500 from the United Soybean Board to enhance the use of soybean oil as an ingredient in naturally-derived petrolatum alternatives.

The funding, provided through the soybean checkoff and the United Soybean Board new industrial uses program, will specifically be used to further commercialize soybean oil as a replacement for petroleum-based petrolatum products. Elevance Renewable Sciences uses a Nobel Prize-winning technology known as Metathesis to convert renewable feedstocks into materials that replace petroleum-based ingredients in a variety of products. The items developed using Metathesis both outperform their petroleum-based counterparts and are developed using less energy.

"We look forward to working with the United Soybean Board to further enhance the use of soybean oil in developing and commercializing naturally-derived petrolatum products," said K'Lynne Johnson, CEO of Elevance. "As demand for these products increases, farmers will benefit from a new and increased need for soy, and consumers will benefit from a higher-performing, natural alternative."

Floyd Peed, vice chair of USB's new uses committee and soybean farmer from Aurora, N.C. helped in granting this funding to Elevance. "The committee felt that this proposal had a reasonable chance of being successful," says Peed. "If it proves to be successful, there will be a number of opportunities for its use including such high value markets as medical and consumer uses. Plus, Elevance has good industrial partners to help move this process along."

Elevance has developed soybean-based petrolatum that features a smooth, non-greasy feel and better slip properties, while also preserving other essential characteristics of petroleum-derived petrolatum. As part of the research made possible through the funding, impurities in soybean oil will be profiled and methods will be developed to improve costs at the manufacturing scale. Successful technology development will add a market for soy-based petrolatum equivalent to 3.6 million bushels in five years.

About Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.

Based in Bolingbrook, Ill., Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. creates a wide range of specialty chemicals from natural oils. Using a Nobel Prize winning technology called olefin metathesis; the company creates high performance waxes, functional oils, anti-microbials, lubricants, additives and other chemicals. Elevance was named one of Business Week's Top 10 Most Successful Startups of 2008. To learn more about the company, visit www.elevance.com.

About the United Soybean Board