Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) has been named to MIT Technology Review’s 2016 list of 50 Smartest Companies. Monsanto, a sustainable agriculture company, is ranked No. 50.

To make the list, a company must have truly innovative technology and a business model that is both practical and ambitious, enabling the company to set the agenda in its field over the past 12 months. In selecting Monsanto, MIT Technology Review editors cited the company’s RNA interference research, and Monsanto’s 2015 investment of more than $1.5 billion in research and development, including work on new biotechnology traits, genomics and more.

“Each year we identify 50 companies that are ‘smart’ in the way they create new opportunities,” said Jason Pontin, publisher and editor in chief of MIT Technology Review. “Some of this year’s stars are large companies that are using digital technologies to redefine industries, while others wrestle with technological changes. Also on the list are ambitious startups looking to make their mark in an existing marketplace or create a new market entry.”

Monsanto’s R&D investment last year reached across its five core technology platforms – breeding, biotechnology, crop protection, biologicals and data science.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by MIT Technology Review for our commitment to developing a broad range of integrated solutions to support farmers,” said Sherri Brown, Monsanto’s Science Strategy Lead. “As farmers’ needs evolve due to mounting pressures from climate change and population growth, Monsanto continues to invest in discovering and delivering new sustainable agriculture products for the farm.”

The 50 Smartest Companies List is included in MIT Technology Review’s annual business issue which is currently available online at www.technologyreview.com, and will appear on newsstands worldwide July 5. Monsanto was also named to the magazine’s 2014 list.

Third-party organizations continue to recognize Monsanto for its innovation, leadership, and as an employer of choice. Earlier this month, Newsweek ranked Monsanto 12th out of 500 of the largest U.S. publicly-traded companies on its 2016 Newsweek Green Rankings list. Also this month, Monsanto ranked #189 on Fortune® magazine’s annual Fortune 500 list, and earlier this year CR Corporate Responsibility Magazine® named Monsanto to its 100 Best Corporate Citizens list.

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 or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

About MIT Technology Review

Founded at MIT in 1899, MIT Technology Review is an independent media company whose mission is to explain the commercial, social, and political impact of new technologies. Readers are a global audience of business and thought leaders, innovators and early adopters, entrepreneurs and investors. We’re first to report on a broad range of new technologies, informing our audiences about how important breakthroughs will impact their careers and lives. Subscribe. Follow: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.