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"Monsanto is committed to continue to deliver new agricultural solutions through plant breeding so that farmers can keep up with the growing demands of food production in the face of population growth and climate change."

ST. LOUIS (Oct. 29, 2014) - With a growing global population and increased pressures on agriculture due to climate change, farmers around the world will increasingly require a broad range of agricultural solutions to improve the on-farm potential of crops on our world's finite farmland. Today, Monsanto Company reinforced its commitment to further improve the genetic potential of seeds by announcing a $20 million investment in integrated technology centers as part of its global breeding program. These technology centers will utilize continuing advancements in data science, genomic breeding methods and predictive analytics to further enhance seeds. This work will help farmers unlock untapped yield potential as they produce crops to help nourish our growing world.

"We are at a unique inflection point in the evolution of plant breeding where data science and predictive analytics will help to unlock previously untapped potential of plant genetics," said Sam Eathington, Monsanto vice president of global plant breeding. "Monsanto is committed to continue to deliver new agricultural solutions through plant breeding so that farmers can keep up with the growing demands of food production in the face of population growth and climate change."

Monsanto utilizes its broad network of breeding and field testing locations, global germplasm library and advanced technologies to develop better products for farmers. And with today's announcement, the company highlighted its commitment to invest $20 million over the next two years to accelerate plant breeding research across integrated technology centers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota and Nebraska. These integrated technology centers will enable the company to combine some local operations, utilize new advancements and discoveries, as well as share best practices across crop research.

"Advanced plant breeding techniques and the application of data science are key elements working together to contribute to a food-secure future. And we're scaling our breeding engine to develop products that help farmers around the world meet this challenge," said Eathington.

About Plant Breeding at Monsanto

Plant breeding is a core platform of Monsanto's research and development pipeline. The company invests a significant amount of its R&D effort in developing better seeds through plant breeding. Monsanto collaborates with academic institutions, industry partners and organizations to broadly license our technology and share information to ensure farmers have access to many solutions. Teams around the world utilize breeding across row crops - corn, soybeans, cotton, canola/oilseed rape, wheat, sorghum and sugarcane - as well as fruits and vegetables to meet the needs of farmers and society. Monsanto's global field testing network, genomic breeding methods and predictive analytics capabilities enable plant breeders to identify, select and commercialize better performing crops for farmers regardless of the size of the land they farm. The plant breeding team is focused on delivering new seed products to support improvements in on-farm yield, enhance overall plant health, mitigate increased pest pressures, deliver improvements in fruits and vegetables, as well as increase overall genetic diversity of seed products available to farmers.

Monsanto also remains committed to the advancement and understanding of plant genomes that can benefit broader society. The company worked with a broad network of leaders to complete a draft sequence of the corn genome, which resulted in the first mapping of the corn genome in the world in 2008. The company also previously made its rice genome data publically available to the worldwide research community to expand scientific knowledge and accelerate related research projects.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops - such as corn, soybeans, and cotton - that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit: discover.monsanto.com and monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows® at monsantoblog.com.

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Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously-announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the recent increases in and expected higher levels of indebtedness; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

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