AgriBioTech, Inc. and Forage Genetics Announce Roundup Ready Alfalfa and Potato Leafhopper Agreement.

WEST SALEM, Wisc. and HENDERSON, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 1999--AgriBioTech, Inc. ("ABT") (Nasdaq National Market: ABTX) and Forage Genetics, Inc. announced today that Forage Genetics will be developing new Roundup Ready alfalfa varieties to be marketed by ABT. These new varieties will allow producers to apply Roundup Ultra over their alfalfa fields for enhanced weed control.

"Our customers will be among the first with access to this exciting new technology," said Dr. Tom Rice, Vice President, Director of Research for ABT. "Combining the Roundup Ready trait with the high yield, improved forage quality, and multiple pest resistance traits of our ABT alfalfa varieties promises the potential for increased profitability for our customers."

"We are pleased to be working with ABT in developing Roundup Ready alfalfa varieties for their product line," said Dr. Mark McCaslin, President of Forage Genetics. "This kind of product development agreement allows improved alfalfa varieties to be introduced to the marketplace as efficiently and rapidly as possible."

In addition, ABT and Forage Genetics have agreed to work together to develop, evaluate and release new ABT varieties with resistance to potato leafhopper. The companies expect these future products to provide competitive agronomic performance and high resistance to this economically significant alfalfa pest.

Forage Genetics announced earlier this year a global agreement with Monsanto Company to develop alfalfa germplasm with Monsanto's Roundup Ready and other gene improvement technologies. At that time the companies said their goal was to make the technology as widely available as possible to growers through licensing agreements with seed companies offering commercial alfalfa varieties.

Forage Genetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Research Seeds, Inc. of St. Joseph, Missouri, is an industry leader in the research, development and marketing of value-added alfalfa technologies. Research Seeds is recognized as a worldwide leader in the development, production and marketing of proprietary forage and turf seed.

AgriBioTech, Inc. is a fully integrated full service seed company specializing in the forage and turfgrass seed sector, complete with research and development of proprietary seed varieties, seed processing plants, and a national and international distribution and sales network. ABT has completed 33 acquisitions since January 1, 1995, and is the largest forage and cool season turfgrass seed company in the world, with a current level of annualized net sales of approximately $455 million, including the previously announced pending acquisitions of Moore Seed Processors, and Production+, which have annualized net sales aggregating approximately $15 million.

Forward-looking statements are subject to several risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from projections. Among these factors are the company's relative product performance and competitive market position, weather conditions, commodity prices, trade policies, market conditions, and intellectual property matters.