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| Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon and Hugh Grant, chairman and chief executive officer, Monsanto Co. view 3D agricultural chalk art at Monsanto's Chesterfield Village Research Center expansion groundbreaking. The event commemorated the $400 million expansion which is expected to create 675 new jobs in St. Louis over the next three years. (Photo: Business Wire) |
“Our Chesterfield expansion is focused on strengthening our world-class capabilities in the discovery and development of innovations for farmers around the world,” said Hugh Grant, chairman and CEO of Monsanto. “Meeting growing demand will require new ways of thinking and new technologies that today we can only imagine. As we look to the future, and work begins to expand this research facility, I’m reminded how important our mission to work together to help farmers produce more nutritious food in a sustainable way will continue to be.”
The groundbreaking ceremony included Grant, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Phoong Tang, Monsanto global cotton and specialty crop technology lead.
“Today solidifies Missouri as the leading agriculture innovation hub in the country,” said Nixon. “Monsanto’s decision to expand its footprint and create hundreds of high tech, high paying jobs in this region is good for our state, our economy and our citizens.”
The Chesterfield Village expansion is expected to be completed in 2017. The expansion will include a number of new facilities, including a conference center, research building, 36 additional greenhouses, 13 Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) rooms and 250 additional labs. Contracts have been awarded to:
- SmithGroupJJR: Architect for the conference center
- Jacob KlingStubbins: Architect for the research building
- Burns and McDonnell: Architect for greenhouses
- Alberici: Construction manager for expansion project
- Tarlton Corporation: Contractor for parking garage
Monsanto continues to create new employment opportunities in the St. Louis region. Currently, there are 400 St. Louis-based open positions – a significant increase versus a year ago – in a variety of fields including engineering, sales, research, information technology, finance and human resources.
Significant opportunities exist in:
- R&D specifically for new platforms such as BioDirect™ technology and Integrated Farming Systems℠; as well as in biotechnology, breeding and regulatory.
- Information Technology and R&D Technology Pipeline Solutions, the group that develops software that supports R&D pipeline and system integration.
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 the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits and the previously-announced SEC investigation; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent Form 10-K Report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20131022006909/en/
