About “Beyond the Rows”

Beyond the Rows is a Monsanto Company blog focused on one of the world’s most important industries, agriculture. Monsanto employees write about Monsanto’s business, the agriculture industry, and the farmer.avatar Monsantoco Posts

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News and Views

Big Sand Mound

Big Sand Mound Will Open for Tours Featured Article

The Quad City Times has a story about Big Sand Mound, one of Iowa’s significant nature areas, opening for tours on June 16. The 510-acre preserve is owned by Mid-American Energy Company (420 acres) and Monsanto (90 acres). The two companies undertake research and restoration activities at the site.

The preserve was created in the late 1970s, and is part of a larger area called Muscatine Island. The preserve includes a sand prairie, sand dunes, wetlands and woodlands. The areas is a habitat for a number of rare and threatened species of animals and plants.

The preserve is also enrolled … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 21, 2012 by Glynn Young

tanzania agriculture

A Commitment to Help Africa Grow Featured Article

In per capita income, Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries. Per capita income averages $1,500 annually. Average life expectancy is 53 years.

Tanzania is also a country where agriculture is critically important to the economy, employing some 80 percent of the work force. And it may be the key to the future success of the country and its people.

Today, Monsanto’s president, chairman and CEO Hugh Grant is announcing a ten-year, $50 million commitment to in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and will seek broad partnerships with governments, other private sector companies and civil society to grow the agricultural … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 18, 2012 by Glynn Young

Chicago Council Report on Global Agricultural Development Featured Article

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, one of the oldest and most prominent international affairs organizations in the United States, publishes an annual assessment of progress by the United States in global agricultural development. The 2012 progress report cites major strides the U.S. government has made “toward putting agricultural development back at the top of its foreign assistance agenda, reversing a three-decade long downward trend in U.S. global food security activities.”

Among its key findings are:

• The U.S. government has begun to develop and implement a focused strategy for global agricultural development, “with well-defined goals and benchmarks.”
• … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 16, 2012 by Glynn Young

Grand Center map_3D

A Boost for Education and the Arts Featured Article

Today, the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and Monsanto announced that Monsanto is giving $1 million for a community education center in Grand Center in mid-town St. Louis. According to UMSL, “Scheduled to open in late spring, the building will offer classes and programming in the city’s newest arts center and provide a new home for the studios and offices of St. Louis Public Radio|90.7 KWMU.”

My wife and I spend a lot of time in Grand Center. Decades ago, it was the place to see the latest movies, in large, rather opulent movie theaters that were so common in American … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 4, 2012 by Glynn Young

First Graders Learn About Cotton Featured Article

Today’s blog post is written by Sarah who I met through Twitter where she uses the handle @houseagbuilt. Sarah teaches elementary school in the Sacramento, California area. She came from a farming background and remains passionate about food and farm. She always knew she wanted to teach too so it seems only natural that she’d combine the two. When she was looking for some materials, we connected and I sent her a box from Cotton’s Journey I had as well as getting her in touch with a California cotton farmer. She learned alot in the process of teaching … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 1, 2012 by Janice Person

Here for the Bees Featured Article

By Jerry Hayes
Beeologics Commercial Lead

The Apiculture/ Beekeeping Industry is recognized as a small industry – vital, important, but small.  Not very many companies want to get involved in it as many times research and investment are expensive, with little immediate return that can be projected. Generally beekeepers go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), universities or private industry looking for help. Sometimes it comes but most of the time it doesn’t. 

Now we have a company committed to ag R&D that acquired Beeologics. They know nothing about honey bees, right? 

Actually, they do. Monsanto knows that honey … Full Article »

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Originally published
May 1, 2012 by Monsantoco

3 farmers

Earth Day 2012 Featured Article

I was there at the first Earth Day – April 22, 1970. I was a freshman at LSU in Baton Rouge, and the Student Government Association, the Student Union and other organizations planned – and pulled off – a rather surprising number of events, speakers, entertainment, workshops and how-to demonstrations. 

What I remember the most was getting sunburned. I spent the entire day on LSU’s parade ground, a large grassy area in the very center of the university. At one time, it was where the ROTC cadets marched in formation. It had become the place for large student gatherings, like … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 23, 2012 by Glynn Young

corn-banner

The Safety of Biotech Sweet Corn Featured Article

Last week, Huffington Post published an opinion piece that raised concerns about the safety of biotech sweet corn. The author was the executive director of Food & Water Watch, which has been maintaining a public relations campaign against GM food in general and biotech sweet corn in particular.

Best Food Facts, a web site sponsored by the Center for Food Integrity, has an interview with three food experts about the safety of biotech sweet corn, other issues raised in the article, and what – if any – effect GM food has on human health. The three are professors at … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 17, 2012 by Glynn Young

Americas Farmers Mobile Experience

Where Do You Get Your Information? Featured Article

By Carly Scaduto
U.S. Vegetables Communications Manager

Based on all the misinformation about our products floating around on the web and in social media, I’m not surprised by consumers who don’t see the benefits our products bring. It’s also easy to understand why they would question the safety of our products, especially if they don’t take the time to really understand the science behind the development and approval of our biotech products.

Social media enables anyone to have a voice; unfortunately, what many say doesn’t have to be balanced or based in fact. Because of this, I’m increasingly interacting with … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 10, 2012 by Monsantoco

We Said What in Vermont? Featured Article

A number of online reports – AlterNet and Organic Consumers Association, among others – have posted articles claiming that Monsanto “has threatened to sue” the state of Vermont if a GM labeling bill is approved. Wrong.

A few facts:

We have not testified on the bill in question, nor have we made any public statements.

A legislative committee held hearings about the labeling effort and invited a number of groups to provide their input. A representative from BIO, the industry trade group, did testify before the committee, and did say that the bill raised constitutional questions that would need legal … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 6, 2012 by Glynn Young