By Elizabeth Niven

Mining phosphate is an important part of Monsanto’s Roundup® herbicide production. The proposed Blackfoot Bridge Mine permit, in the southeast corner of Idaho, was approved this past July with a wave of support from the surrounding communities and endorsed by elected officials across the political spectrum. Most significantly, Monsanto’s phosphate mine approval was not appealed or challenged in court by environmental organizations.

Considering that approval for most mines in the United States includes some appeals and litigation, Monsanto was elated with the outcome.

Randy Vranes, Monsanto business unit lead for mineral activities in Soda Springs, Idaho, explained … Full Article »

By Elizabeth Niven

In 2009, Brazil passed into law a commitment to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between 36.1 and 38.9 percent by 2020. In support of that commitment, Monsanto in Brazil joined Companies for the Climate, a corporate platform coordinated by Brazil’s Fundação Getúlio Vargas, and focused on contributing positively to the GHG discussion.

“Brazil wants to be a leader in the new ‘green economy’ and demonstrate this to the international community,” said Gabriela Burian, Monsanto sustainability manager in Brazil. “The timeline will be short, and we anticipate that in the next 18 months we’ll have new goals … Full Article »

By Elizabeth Niven

On April 22, more than one billion people world wide celebrated Earth Day’s 42^nd anniversary seeking a healthier, more sustainable planet.

At Monsanto, every day is Earth Day. To underscore its commitment to sustainability, Monsanto in St. Louis has taken the adage of reduce, reuse and recycle to a new level with substantial results. In 2011, through composting, recycling, donating and using green technologies, the company’s environmental footprint was significantly reduced to the tune of more than 2,800,000 pounds of waste diverted from landfills.

To accomplish this, corporate services implemented a plan that established and renewed … Full Article »

By Elizabeth Niven

Seasonal employees work at Monsanto’s cotton-breeding station in Abohar, Punjab, in northwest India, where they plant, weed, harvest and gin the cotton. Established in 2008, this 52-acre station develops cotton hybrids suitable for farmers in northern India.

The children from Monsanto’s 50-60 seasonal workers and from the farming village attend the local government’s primary school. More than 400 children at the school receive books, uniforms, lunches and weekly visits from a nurse. What they didn’t receive was a place to sit or clean water to drink. Students sat on the floor during class and drank ground water … Full Article »