About Monsanto
The Monsanto Chemical Works was founded in 1901 by John F. Queeny. Queeny was a purchasing agent for a drug company that manufactured saccharin, an artificial sweetener, which was at the time only produced in Germany. The company was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and by 1902 the firm was capable of producing saccharin at a large scale, eventually adding vanillin and caffeine to its product range. A major customer of Monsanto was the Coca-Cola Company, this allowed sales to reach $1 million by 1915 (Britannica).
Queeny passed the company on to his son, Edgar M. Queeny in 1928 who eventually retired in 1960. During his time in control of the company, Edgar Queeny had expanded the company extensively. The company was renamed in 1933, becoming the Monsanto Chemical Company. Production expanded over this period, a major product added to the portfolio was styrene which was used in the U.S. war effort in World War II. In the 1940s, they also expanded into the production of agricultural chemicals such as DDT (a synthetic insecticide that is effective against insect borne diseases) and Agent Orange (agricultural defoliant). The company’s name changed once more in 1964 to the Monsanto Company.
In the 1980s, Monsanto had shifted their focus to the biotechnology market. In 1996, the company launched their first genetically modified crops, known as Roundup Ready soybeans. In 1998, Monsanto acquired the DeKalb Genetics Corporation, and later acquired Seminis in 2005, along with various other companies over this time period. By 2018, Monsanto had gained control over 27% of the global seed market (FarmstandApp).
In the 2010s, several lawsuits were filed against Monsanto, a major one stating that their Roundup product was causing cancer. In 2016, a German chemical and pharmaceutical company, Bayer, announced that they would be acquiring Monsanto, with the deal being finalized in 2018.
Monsanto’s mission statement was “To help farmers produce more, conserve more, and improve lives.” and their vision statement was never explicitly stated, however their long-term vision was expressed through their sustainability pledge “produce more, conserve more, improve lives” (Monsanto 2012 Sustainability Report). Their mission and vision statements have since changed after their acquisition by Bayer. Their mission now is “Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world.” with a vision statement reading “We will deliver high-quality products that are beneficial to our customers and for the environment, through sound and innovative science, thoughtful and effective stewardship, and a commitment to safety and health in everything we do.” (Comparably). The key difference that can be recognized is that the vision statement now includes details about keeping the environment safe, as well as being committed to safety and health.
Bayer-Monsanto still produces similar products as it did before its acquisition and Bayer is still currently dealing with lawsuits as of February 17, 2026 (Bayer)
Sources:
“10 Devastating Ways Monsanto Has Harmed Our World.” FarmstandApp, 15 Jan. 2026, www.farmstandapp.com/3745/what-bad-things-has-monsanto-done/.
Company, Monsanto. “Monsanto Company Releases 2012 Sustainability Report.” PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing, Cision PR Newswire, 29 June 2018, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monsanto-company-releases-2012-sustainability-report-212136431.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Monsanto Announces RoundupTM Class Settlement Agreement to Resolve Current and Future Claims, Bayer, 4 Mar. 2026, www.bayer.com/media/en-us/monsanto-announces-roundup-class-settlement-agreement-to-resolve-current-and-future-claims/.
“Monsanto Company Mission, Vision & Values.” Comparably, 18 Dec. 2025, www.comparably.com/companies/monsanto-company/mission.
Monsanto | History, Products, Acquisition, & Facts | Britannica Money, www.britannica.com/money/Monsanto. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
You did a great job laying out Monsanto’s history in a way that helps readers understand how the company became so powerful. The timeline from early chemical production to genetically modified seeds makes the later ethical issues feel more grounded.
ReplyDeleteI like how you highlighted the shift from basic chemicals to controversial products like DDT and Agent Orange. It shows that Monsanto’s reputation problems didn’t start with Roundup; there’s a long pattern of producing chemicals tied to health and environmental concerns.
Thank you! I found it very interesting the difference between how the company began and the products they produce now, it is quite surprising, the change being so drastic.
DeleteThis was a really well-structured background post! The mission/vision comparison after the Bayer acquisition was the most interesting part to me. The new vision explicitly mentions environmental safety, but given that Bayer is still actively fighting Roundup lawsuits in 2026, does that language reflect a genuine values shift or just strategic rebranding? It connects directly to what we've been discussing in class about companies using mission statements performatively.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the change in the vision statement is more of a performative change, as you said, strategic rebranding is likely the case.
DeletePost 1: About Monsanto (Background)
ReplyDeleteI think you did an excellent job of concisely and carefully outlining the case's background. This has made it easier for me to understand the company's scale and impact in the agriculture industry. I can quickly grasp the argument because of the way you described the company.
Your explanation of the issue's corporate and societal dimensions, which is important in an ethical case, is what I find appealing about your post.
Do you believe that Monsanto's size and power make it harder for them to be ethical, or should it make them more ethical?
I think that Monsanto's size makes it harder to take on this ethical issue. Because they have set up a system and product that so many people use, making changes to that would likely be difficult.
DeleteWhat do you think? Does Monsanto's behavior really match its purpose, or is it just an attempt to look better?
ReplyDeleteI believe that in a way, Monsanto's behavior does match their purpose, specifically the "nourish and growing the world" part, as they do effectively do this.
DeleteThe way you wrote this post is excellent, and it really helps to show how Monsanto grew to be so strong over time. That's also what I think. It makes sense that when a company is this big, its decisions correspondence a lot of people and the environment, especially when the company is worth some billion dollars. This connects in with what we've been talking about in ethics class about corporate social responsibility because businesses should care about more than just making money.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I noticed a difference between the company's stated purpose of "improving lives" and the ongoing court actions. This makes me wonder if the company's actions really reflect its values.
Overall, the post is outstanding and I learned new knowledge about the company.
I personally believe that the company reflects its values but also goes against them at the same time. The do improve lives by providing the means to maintain crops and various other plants, however the fact that the company's product is harmful to people goes against their values.
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