‘A dedication to innovations:’ Monsanto announces continued research to support farmers

Jan 05, 2018

The company advanced more than 20 projects through its digital pipeline

Staff Reporter

Farms.com

Farmers may be excited to hear that Monsanto has some new and improved products in the works to help them deal with modern agronomic problems.

Yesterday, Monsanto announced the advancements flowing through its research and development pipeline during its 2018 R&D Pipeline Media Call.

Some of the projects Monsanto is advancing through its digital pipeline include:

Tracepta technology: This product is intended for areas of the U.S. that see high pressure from below-ground insects — such as fall armyworms, corn earworms, corn borers and cutworms — but where above-ground caterpillar pests are less of an issue, Dr. Robert Fraley, executive vice-president and chief technology officer for Monsanto, said during the call. The technology is set to launch this year.
SmartStax Pro: This product, which battles corn rootworm, is continuing through the fourth phase of the R&D pipeline. Monsanto has begun some early licencing discussions about this product with other companies.
Disease diagnosis with the Climate Corporation: This technology, which uses artificial intelligence to identify and diagnose crop diseases in farmers’ fields, advanced from development to the pre-commercial phase. The initial version will target corn, soybeans and wheat. (The Climate Corporation is a subsidiary of Monsanto Company.)

Last year, the company advanced a record number of projects spanning across all of their platforms, Fraley said.

In fact, 2017 marked the seventh consecutive year that Monsanto has moved projects forward for each of its platforms and the fifth consecutive year the company has seen more than 20 pipeline advancements.

“Whether it’s breeding, biotech, ag biologicals, crop protection or digital ag at Climate, we’re seeing progress,” Fraley said.

And Monsanto plans to continue new research and to improve upon existing technology to benefit the agricultural industry.

“Our team’s commitment to this annual pipeline showcase is founded in a dedication to innovations that support farmers as they work to meet food security needs of society while using natural resources more efficiently,” said Fraley. “Our research is aimed at improving grower productivity and sustainability regardless of where they farm, the (amount of) land they farm, or what agricultural practices they choose to deploy in their farming operations.”

Photo: gilaxia/Getty Images

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.