Patents
Monsanto seeks intellectual property protection, including patents and often plant breeders’ rights, to cover many of the traits and seed varieties we develop. These protections help to ensure we are paid for our products and for the investments we put into developing them. We sell these proprietary products in the market using business models that reinforce our obligations to reinvest, provide a return to our shareowners and provide for our employees. Monsanto re-invests more than $2.6 million per day in research and development that ultimately benefits farmers and consumers. No business can survive without being paid for its products or services and we maintain rigor in assuring the success of the business models we implement to deliver our products and services to the market.