Read Big Ag Watch content related to Monsanto Co.
Based in St. Louis, Monsanto Company provides biotechnology, pest control, seed and other agricultural services to farmers on a global scale.
Monsanto has about 22,000 employees stations around the world.
Its major crop brands include DEKALB, Channel and Asgrow, among others. In addition to commercial crops, Monsanto’s vegetable seeds portfolio includes tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, broccoli, lettuce and others under the brands Seminis and De Ruiter.
Besides seed and biotechnology departments, Monsanto also produces herbicides, including its trademark RoundUp commercialized in the United States 1976.
It also owns The Climate Corporation, a service that connects farmers with real-time data and weather tools to manage their farming operations.
Monsanto has gone through a long history of being a both a seller and a buyer. John F. Queeny founded what some in the agriculture industry refer to as “Old Monsanto” more than a century ago, and that version of the company was involved in a wide variety of businesses, including the manufacturing of food sweeteners, PCBs and other chemicals.
In 1997, Old Monsanto split into Solutia Inc.
In 2000, Monsanto entered into a merger and became a subsidiary of Pharmacia Corporation, a company now wholly owned by Pfizer Inc.
In 2002, that Monsanto spun off from Pharmacia and became a separate company.
Throughout its history, Monsanto has bought several companies and parts of companies, including Jacob Hartz Seed Co., Agracetus, Calgene, Holden’s Foundation Seeds LLC, Corn States Hybrid Service LLC, Asgrow, DeKalb Genetics Corp., Channel Bio Corp., Seminis Inc., De Ruiter Seeds Group., Beeologics, Divergence Inc., among others.
For more background on Monsanto, also see: About Monsanto| Corporate profile
Key financial highlights
2015 net sales: $ 15.0 billion
2015 net income: $2.3 billion
2014 net sales: $15.9 billion
2014 income: $2.7 billion
2013 net sales: $14.9 billion
2013 net income: $2.5 billion
Data source: SEC.gov
Big Ag Watch related content
Read: “Monsanto inches closer to biggest biotech launch in company’s history”
Read: “Monsanto’s first-of-its kind GMO could shake up the corn market”
Read: “GMO regulatory system primed for makeover”
Read: “Monsanto’s new corn GMO is the latest step in a long journey”
Read: “GMOs, Monsanto and the fight against climate change”
Read: “U.S. cities sue Monsanto over chemical pollution”
Read: “Monsanto using big data to inform farmers”
Read: “GMO debate reaches new peak with ‘voluntary labeling’ bill”
Lobbying activity
2015 lobbying expenditures: $3.48 million
2015 lobbying interests included:
Biotech Innovation and Regulation; International Agribusiness Transactional Issues
S. 697: Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act; H.R. 2576: TSCA Modernization Act of 2015; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Regulations; Endangered Species Act Regulations; Regulatory Approvals
S. 1137: PATENT Act; H.R. 9: Innovation Act; H.R. 3326: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015; S. 1890: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015
Renewable Fuel Standard
H.R. 1599: Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015
Phosphate Mine Permitting; Mineral Leasing
Data Services
H.R. 880: American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015
Foreign Agriculture Laws, Regulations, and Trade; Glyphosate
Waste Permitting
Environmental Sustainability
2014 lobbying expenditures: $4.12 million
2014 lobbying interests included:
Biotech Innovation and Regulations; H.R. 5656 Global Food Security Act of 2014; S. 2909 Global Food Security Act of 2014
Regulatory Approvals; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Regulations
H.R. 3309 Innovation Act; Draft Patent Legislation; Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters (TROL) Act of 2014; S. 1720: Patent Transparency and Improvements Act of 2013; S. 1013: Patent Abuse Reduction Act of 2013; H.R. 5233: Trade Secrets Protection Act of 2014
H.R. 4432 Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014
Mineral Licensing and Royalty Issues; Phosphate Mining; Land Transfer
Issues Related to the Research and Development Tax Credit; S. 2260 EXPIRE Act of 2014; H.R. 4438 American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014; H.R. 4457 America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014; H.R. 4464 Permanent CFC Look-Through Act of 2014; H.R. 4718 To Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Modify and Make Permanent Bonus Depreciation; PBGC Premium Increases; International and Corporate Tax Reform; P.L. 113-295 The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014
Foreign Agriculture Laws, Regulations, and Trade; Investment in Ukraine
Renewable Fuel Standard
Public Law No: 113-255 Making Consolidated Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2015, and for Other Purposes
Data Services; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
2013 lobbying expenditures: $6.94 million
2013 lobbying interests included:
Biotech Innovation and Regulations; S. 954: Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013; H.R. 2642: Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 201
H. J. RES. 59: Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act (PRIA) Regulations; H.R. 935: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2013; S. 802: Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2013
Implementation of the America Invents Act (Public Law No. 112-29); Proposed Reforms to Patent Litigation
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
Mineral Licensing and Royalty Issues; Phosphate Mining
Issues Related to the Extension and Expansion of the Alternative Simplified Research & Development Tax Credit; Issues Relating to International Corporate Tax Reform; Issues Related to Percentage of Mine Depletion; Issues Related to the Manufacturing Deduction
Foreign Agriculture Laws, Regulations, and Trade; Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); Trans-Atlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP)
Data source: Senate lobbying disclosure database
EDGAR Search Results: Monsanto
Click on the above link to scroll through recent financial filings posted on SEC.gov. Reports labeled “10-Q” are quarterly filings, while reports labeled “11-K” are annual filings.
Monsanto: News releases
Click on the above link to read through recent Monsanto news releases.
USA spending quick stats
Each year, the United States government hands out billions of dollars’ worth of government contracts, grants, subsidies and loans. A large portion of these federal dollars go to top agribusiness companies.
USA spending data shows that Monsanto has not received a significant amount of federal funding since 2011.
Last known funds awarded: 2011
2011 total funds awarded: $297,265
No. 1 awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Data source: USASpending.gov
Quarterly reports
May 31, 2015 | Feb. 28, 2015 | Nov. 30, 2014 | May 31, 2014
Annual reports
Fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2015 | Fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014