Monsanto | History, Products, Acquisition, & Facts | Britannica

Monsanto, in full Monsanto Company, formerly (1933–64) Monsanto Chemical Company and (1901–33) Monsanto Chemical Works, American corporation ... Monsanto TableofContents Introduction FastFacts Facts&RelatedContent More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Politics,Law&Government Banking&Business Monsanto Americancompany Alternatetitles:MonsantoChemicalCompany,MonsantoChemicalWorks Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Monsanto More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites Investopedia-Monsanto'sMainCompetitors CompaniesHistory.com-Monsanto By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • LastUpdated: Jan10,2022 • EditHistory Date: 1901-2018 ...(Showmore) Headquarters: St.Louis ...(Showmore) AreasOfInvolvement: chemicalindustry manufacturing ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ Monsanto,infullMonsantoCompany,formerly(1933–64)MonsantoChemicalCompanyand(1901–33)MonsantoChemicalWorks,Americancorporationthatwasaleadingproducerofchemical,agricultural,andbiochemicalproducts.AfterbeingacquiredbyBayerin2018,itceasedtoexistasanentity.TheMonsantoChemicalWorkswasfoundedin1901byJohnF.Queeny(1859–1933),apurchasingagentforawholesaledrugcompany,tomanufacturethesyntheticsweetenersaccharin,thenproducedonlyinGermany.Queenyinvested$1,500ofhisownmoneyandborrowedanother$3,500fromalocalEpsomsaltsmanufacturertolaunchhisnewcompany,whichhenamedMonsanto,afterhiswife’smaidenname.Thefirmwasuptofull-scalesaccharinproductionin1902,addedcaffeineandvanillintoitsproductlineoverthenextfewyears,andin1905beganturningaprofit.WiththeCoca-ColaCompanyasoneofMonsanto’schiefcustomers,salesreached$1millionin1915.Monsantobeganproducingaspirinin1917.LikemanyotherAmericanchemicalcompanies,MonsantoexpandedduringWorldWarIandflourishedundertheprotectionofthehighU.S.tariffsofthe1920s.Queenypassedcontrolofthecompanytohisson,EdgarM.Queeny(1897–1968),in1928.EdgarQueenytransformedMonsantointoanindustrialgiantbeforeheretiredin1960.ThecompanywasincorporatedastheMonsantoChemicalCompanyin1933.Itsproductionofstyrene,acomponentofsyntheticrubber,wasvitaltotheU.S.wareffortduringWorldWarII.Reflectingitsdiverseproductofferings,thecompanychangeditsnametoMonsantoCompanyin1964.In1985MonsantopurchasedpharmaceuticalfirmG.D.Searle&Co.,makeroftheNutraSweetartificialsweetener.Monsantosolditssweetenersbusinesses,includingNutraSweet,in2000.Inthe1990sMonsanto’sacquisitionofCalgeneInc.,DEKALBGenetics,andotherbiotechnologyfirmsmadeitaleaderinthedevelopmentandproductionofgeneticallymodifiedcropseeds.ItbegancommercialproductionofBST(bovinesomatotropin),asyntheticsupplementfordairycows,in1994.MonsantomergedwithglobalpharmaceuticalcompanyPharmacia&UpjohninMarch2000,butinAugust2002Monsanto’snonpharmaceuticalsegmentswerespunoffbyPharmaciaCorporation,andMonsantobecameapubliclytradedcompany.Itsprimarybusinesseswereinagricultureandbiotechnology.Tofurtherthoseinterests,itacquiredvariousseedcompaniesandsoftwarefirmsintheearly21stcentury.DuringthistimeMonsantobegantobeperceivedinanegativelightbythepublic.Therewasoppositiontoitspromotionofgeneticallymodifiedorganisms,andthecompanywasinvolvedwithchemicalsthatwereallegedtocausehealthissues.Inthe2010snumerouslawsuitswerefiledclaimingthatitsweedkillerRoundup,whichcontainedglyphosate,causedcancer.Againstthisbackdrop,in2016Bayer,aGermanchemicalandpharmaceuticalcompany,announcedthatitwaspurchasingMonsantoinadealvaluedatmorethan$60billion.In2018theacquisitionwasfinalized,andshortlythereafterthefirstRounduplawsuitwasdecidedinfavouroftheplaintiff.Facedwiththepossibilityofextensivelegalliabilities,Bayersawitsvaluedecline.LaterthatyearMonsantowasfoldedintoBayer’scropsciencedivision.In2020Bayeragreedtopaymorethan$10billiontosettleclaimsregardingRoundup.TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyAmyTikkanen.