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Monsanto Ranks No. 28 on The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity(R) List

ST. LOUIS, March 10, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) has been named to The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list for its demonstrated use of measurable diversity best practices and results. A total of 449 companies participated this year, up 12 percent from last year. Ranked No. 28, Monsanto has demonstrated strength in the four areas measured - CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications and Supplier diversity.

"We are thrilled that Monsanto was again recognized by DiversityInc for our efforts to promote an inclusive work place and make our company the very best it can be for employees, suppliers and customers," said Monsanto Chairman, President and CEO Hugh Grant. "We know that valuing different ideas and unique points of view makes our team, our business and our community stronger. To be recognized as a leader in this area is a tremendous honor for all of us at Monsanto."

Monsanto moves up eight spots this year as its commitment to diversity management intensifies. The agricultural company has built an increasingly inclusive workplace and has strong values that permeate all of its global operations.

"Monsanto maintains a consistent commitment to philanthropy, especially in the St. Louis area where it is headquartered," said Luke Visconti, Chief Executive Officer of DiversityInc. "The leaders of this company care about their community and their employees very deeply, and that's reflected in their diversity efforts. When I visit the company, I am always impressed to hear their executives speak about diversity management in the same precise language you would expect from a company whose business depends on science and excellence in execution."

To qualify for the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity, participating companies must have more than 1,000 employees and must fill out a detailed questionnaire based completely on empirical questions. The list, now in its 10th year, is metrics-driven, and companies doing business with DiversityInc receive no advantage.

"This list represents the businesses that treat diversity as an ethical, moral priority and a powerful business tool. Far too many companies are way behind the curve and will find themselves in trouble in the next few years and decade," continued Visconti. "A diverse work force changes the character and the culture of a company. Thinking that diversity is merely a 'feel-good' or politically correct strategy without real impact will leave companies on the wrong side of history."

He noted Census Bureau statistics show that 55 percent of Americans younger than 5 years old are not white. By 2016, more than 70 percent of the work force will be women or Blacks, Latinos, Asians and American Indians.

"The DiversityInc Top 50 is no beauty contest. It is a way to honor the visionary companies that understand being fair is a powerful business tool, as well as the ethical and right thing to do," concluded Visconti.

The announcement of the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity and the 12 specialty lists* occurred on March 9 at a gala in Washington, D.C., and Monsanto will be featured in the June 2010 issue of DiversityInc Magazine.

DiversityInc was founded in 1998 as a Web-based publication, and a print magazine was launched in 2002. To see the full ranking of the 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity as well as more information on the methodology, visit: DiversityInc.com/Top50.

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 resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com . Follow our business on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/MonsantoCo, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed .

*Specialty lists: The DiversityInc 25 Noteworthy Companies, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women, The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity, The DiversityInc Top 5 Regional Utilities, The DiversityInc Top 5 Hospital Systems

CONTACT | Media - Darren Wallis (314-694-5674)

SOURCE Monsanto Company