Monsanto Opens First Biotechnology Research Center in China

ST. LOUIS and BEIJING, Nov. 4, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company
(NYSE: MON) announced today that it is opening its first research center in
China, further demonstrating its commitment to forming technology
collaborations in the country.

The Monsanto Biotechnology Research Center in Zhongguancun, Beijing, will
strengthen the company's ties with Chinese research institutions in plant
biotechnology and genomics.

The new research center is an extension of the company's commitment to
doubling yields in its core crops by 2030 compared to a base year of 2000,
while reducing the amount of inputs required per unit produced by a third.
Monsanto currently invests more than $2 million a day in research in order to
meet this commitment to global agriculture.

The Beijing research center will participate in early-stage bioinformatics and
genomics research, and serve as a base for collaborations with Chinese
scientists. Monsanto also has research centers in the United States, Brazil
and India.

"Monsanto has made a commitment to collaborate with Chinese scientists on
advanced biotech and breeding technology," said Stephen Padgette, vice
president of biotechnology for Monsanto. "Monsanto has made a commitment to
develop advanced biotech and breeding technology to China. The establishment
of the center will give Chinese researchers access to our global research
network and to our industry-leading product development pipeline."

"We are pleased that Monsanto, the leading agricultural biotech company, is
setting up a research center in China. Biotech is an important solution to
increase crop productivity. Technology innovation and improvement will be
determining factors for agriculture sustainability," said Zhai Huqu, president
of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS). "Strengthening the
exchange of information and creating a technology collaboration platform is
crucial for technological innovation. CAAS has worked with Monsanto in the
past and this is a great opportunity to expand that collaboration."

Recently, Monsanto announced a collaboration with Huazhong Agricultural
University to further gene discovery and the development of novel
biotechnology traits. The company also established a RMB 1 million scholarship
at the university to encourage students to pursue careers in biotechnology
research.

Prof. Qifa Zhang, a leading scientist at Huazhong Agricultural University,
congratulated Monsanto on the establishment of the research center.

"The establishment of the center will have a key role in further strengthening
our collaboration, and speeding up commercialization and marketing of new
technology," Zhang said.

China has already made many achievements in agricultural research, said John
McLean, general manager of the research center.

"We hope to work closely with Chinese scientists and researchers on innovation
in agricultural biotechnology. Establishing a research center in China is a
good platform for exchange of information and collaboration between Monsanto
and Chinese researchers," McLean said. "We already work with several research
institutions and universities on novel agricultural traits. We firmly believe
that technological advances will increase productivity and contribute to
finding solutions to the challenges facing agriculture."

About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions
and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.
Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers
to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural
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Contact | Media - Riddhi Trivedi-St. Clair, Monsanto (314-694-4490)

SOURCE Monsanto Company

Media, Riddhi Trivedi-St. Clair of Monsanto, +1-314-694-4490