BASS announced Wednesday that Genuity™, Monsanto’s new trait innovation brand for corn, soybean, cotton and specialty crops, will sponsor the Bassmaster Elite Series’ Genuity™ River Rumble, set for June 11-14 on the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, Iowa.  The event will mark the first foray into BASS sponsorship for Genuity™ and will be the seventh stop of the eight-event Bassmaster Elite Series regular season.

 “We’re excited to debut our BASS sponsorship this year with our Genuity™ brand at the Genuity^™ River Rumble in Fort Madison,” says Dion McBay,Monsanto U.S. Traits Marketing Lead.  “Bass fishing has long been a beloved pastime of many American farmers.  We want to help farmers enjoy time with their families off the farm too so we think this is a great sponsorship for our Genuity^™ brand.” 

 In addition to sponsorship of the event, St. Louis-based Genuity^™ will make a financial donation to the Community Services Food Pantry, which is affiliated with the Fort Madison United Way and serves the local community. The donation will be based on the number of pounds of fish caught during the tournament or an amount in line with an average Bassmaster Elite Series tournament.

 From an activation standpoint, Genuity™ will bring to the event its Mobile Technology Unit (MTU).  The MTU, a unique, traveling exhibit showcasing Monsanto’s latest advances in plant breeding and trait technology, will be on-site offering free tours during the event’s consumer expo on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, beginning at 1 p.m. CT.

 The sponsorship agreement also includes a presence across BASS’ multimedia assets, including The Bassmasters on ESPN2, Bassmaster Magazine and Bassmaster.com.

 “It’s important to continue to engage non-endemic companies like Genuity™ in the sport of bass fishing,” said Tom Ricks, vice president and general manager, ESPN Outdoors and BASS.

 For more information on Genuity™, visit genuity.com.

 Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

 Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

 For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNOutdoorsMedia.com for ESPN Outdoors’ latest releases, schedules and photos.