Monsanto Honored by Science Magazine as a 2013 Top Employer

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Science Magazine has recognized Monsanto as one of the world’s top employers. In news released today by the publication, Monsanto ranked 14 in Science’s 2013 Top Employer survey. The survey spotlights the 20 best companies in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, and related industries as well as the characteristics which make them great places to work.
“We are pleased to be recognized by Science as a great employer,” said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto chief technology officer. “Our company’s winning culture is based on innovation and the incredible talent of our employees around the world, whose focus is providing farmers the tools they need to feed and clothe a growing global population.”
An independent research firm conducted the survey which polled employees around the world. Respondents from North America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific Rim rated companies based on 23 characteristics including work-culture values, easy adaptation to change, and a research-driven environment. Respondents highlighted Monsanto’s clear vision, its place as an innovative leader in the industry and the important, quality research it does as characteristics for making the list. Monsanto is the only Missouri-based company to make the global list.
Third party organizations continue to recognize Monsanto as an employer of choice. Earlier this week Monsanto made the list of the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®. Monsanto ranked 12 in the world’s largest annual study of workplace excellence, which identifies the top 25 best multinational companies in terms of workplace culture.
For the complete feature on Science’s 2013 Top Employers along with individual company rankings, go to www.sciencecareers.org/TopEmployers2013.
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.

Monsanto Company Names Brett Begemann as President and Chief Operating Officer, and Expands His Oversight of Global Business Operations

ST. LOUIS, Wednesday October 23, 2013 --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced that its Board of Directors is expanding Brett Begemann’s oversight for the company’s global commercial operations and that he will now be named to serve as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer effective immediately. Begemann most recently served as the company’s President and Chief Commercial Officer. In his expanded role, Begemann will lead the global business organization with a continued focus on the company’s growth areas.
Hugh Grant will continue to serve as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Monsanto Company, where he maintains ongoing responsibility for leading the company’s long-term corporate strategy, as well as setting direction for the Fortune 200 company. Grant will continue to focus on the delivery of strategic plans for the organization, including the company’s long-term vision– a vision that is focused on producing more, conserving more and improving the lives of people throughout the world.
“Brett has repeatedly demonstrated his strength in strategic planning, operational excellence, and delivering strong financial performance throughout his career at Monsanto,” said Grant. “Brett’s leadership will continue to play an important role as we look to accelerate the growth potential of our business and expand our operations into new areas and regions.”
In announcing his expanded role, Monsanto noted that Begemann will continue to be responsible for the company’s worldwide sales and operations, and will also expand his responsibilities to oversee corporate affairs – including the company’s ongoing engagements with farmers, stakeholders and society.
Begemann will continue to lead the global commercial business including overseeing the commercial, manufacturing and supply chain operations in row crops, vegetables and crop protection. This includes overseeing the company’s new areas of growth, including in established markets and new markets, as well as in new areas of innovation such as Integrated Farming Systems and Ag Biologicals.
“I’m honored to assume this expanded role and focus on scaling our operations to reach more farmers around the world with new product offerings,” said Begemann. “Throughout my career at Monsanto, I’ve seen our business transform from an agriculture company focused on biotechnology to one that is built around breeding, biotechnology and agronomic improvements for the farm. I look forward to continuing to expand our product offerings for farmers through the introduction of a next-generation of industry-leading agriculture innovations.”
Begemann joined the former Monsanto Company in 1983. Throughout his career, Begemann has served in a variety of roles across sales, marketing, commercial development as well as senior management positions worldwide. Begemann will continue to report to Monsanto’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant, and serve as a member of Monsanto’s executive leadership team.
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.

Monsanto Chesterfield Village Expansion Groundbreaking of Research and Development Center Marks Next Generation for Agriculture and St. Louis

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)

ST. LOUIS, Tuesday October 22, 2013 --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monsanto Company hosted an event today to commemorate the beginning of the Chesterfield Village Research Center expansion, its global hub for research and development (R&D) and agricultural innovation. The $400 million expansion, first announced in April 2013, will create 675 new jobs in St. Louis across all levels over the next three years.
“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

“Our success reflects the many resources of the St. Louis region that we call home,” said Grant. “We are proud to invest here and look forward to continuing to be part of the region’s growth.”
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.

Information on current open positions is available www.monsanto.com/careers.
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/

Monsanto Company Named One of the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®

Company recognized on exclusive annual global ranking of great places to work

Tuesday October 22, 2013

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second year in a row, Monsanto Company finds itself on the prestigious list of the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®. This year, Monsanto ranked 12 in the world’s largest annual study of workplace excellence, which identifies the top 25 best multinational companies in terms of workplace culture.
Monsanto ranks two places higher from the 2012 list and is the only St. Louis-based company and the only agriculture company recognized in the award’s third year.
“We are honored for the second time in a row to be recognized as a top multinational workplace,” said Steve Mizell, Monsanto executive vice president of human resources. “I credit our winning to a culture which, because it is team oriented, non-hierarchical and entrepreneurial, gives our 22,000 dedicated employees around the world more opportunities to make professional contributions to the company while also discovering and developing their own talents.”
To be eligible for the Top 25 World’s Best Multinational Workplaces list, qualifying companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,500 employees worldwide, and have a global workforce where at least 40 percent of their employees work outside the company’s home country.
Monsanto placed on the national Great Place to Work lists in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Central America and India in 2013. The company has almost 22,000 employees around the world and more than half of the company’s employees are based outside of the United States, the headquarters for Monsanto.
“The companies listed on the third-annual World’s Best Multinational Workplaces list are creating workplaces dedicated to fostering trust, pride and camaraderie amongst their employees,” said China Gorman, CEO of Great Place to Work. “Their inclusion on this prestigious list demonstrates their commitment to continually improving the lives of their employees and setting innovative new standards for workplaces of the future.”
Since launching the first best workplaces lists in partnership with FORTUNE magazine in the United States and Exame in Brazil in 1997, Great Place to Work now recognizes leading workplaces in nearly 50 countries. The World’s Best Multinational Workplace list is based on a pool of data from some 2,900 companies that were listed on Great Place to Work country lists. Every year, Great Place to Work analyzes data from surveys taken by more than 5 million employees and workplace culture analytics taken from 7,200 companies, which represent more than 16 million employees.
In 2013, Monsanto also received awards recognizing its employees’ innovation, leadership, and workplace satisfaction by Forbes (World’s Most Innovative Companies), CR Magazine (100 Best Corporate Citizens, ranking 36 overall and fifth in its industry sector), Computerworld (100 Best Places to Work in IT), DiversityInc. (2013 Top 50 Companies for Diversity), National Association for Female Executives (2013 Top 50 Companies for Executive Women) and Chief Executive (2013 40 Best Companies for Leaders). For more information on these recognitions and others, click here.
To learn more about where our employees around the world work, scroll over the map here.
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.
About Great Place to Work
Great Place to Work, headquartered in San Francisco, is a global research, consulting and training firm that helps organizations identify, create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures. Great Place to Work serves businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies in almost 50 countries.
About the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces List
Great Place to Work’s annual World’s Best Multinational Workplaces List ranks the top 25 global companies to work for. Qualifying companies must have been selected for at least five national Great Place to Work® lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide and count at least 40 percent of their global workforce outside of the company’s home country.

Over 100 Memory Items Related to the Baltic Way Shared with Europeana 1989

Tallinn, Estonia, 04 September 2013

Around 100 people visited the Europeana 1989 Baltic Way collection days at the Estonian National Library in the capital city of Tallinn on 30-31 August, sharing a total of approximately 150 memory items. Read this press release in Estonian.

In addition to many photos and printed materials, a contributor brought in a handmade blue, black and white Estonian tricolour flag mounted on a broomstick, while another person arrived bearing an old Sony portable radio. Both items had been present at the Baltic Way demonstration.
According to one account, people continued to mark the Baltic Way in a variety of ways after the actual event. For example, a 'green chain' was arranged at Rohuküla harbour as a follow-up, involving participants from the islands of both Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. One man invited his friends to his summer cottage in Kiisa, where he shared beer he'd brewed in his brand new kettle to mark the occasion. One woman brought a pretty light-coloured dress that she'd worn while expecting her first child on the stretch of the Baltic Way demonstration on the big road that circles the city of Türi. Also belonging to this category was a brown coat that had 'taken part' in the Baltic Way. The Tallinn House of Scientists contributed a set of minutes from a meeting that had been held to discuss the events of August 1989, to include the matter of participation in the Baltic Way. Another of their documents reflected brainstorming related to the 1989 legislation on citizenship.
Frank Drauschke, who is one if the initiators of this action to gather memorabilia, contributed his photos of the era. Drauschke, a young East German, had been hitchhiking in the Baltic States during 1989 and took part in the Baltic Way. A woman who had worked as a tourist guide at the Hotel Viru told the story of how she'd taken a group of Germans to participate in the Baltic Way.
A panel discussion that took place on the first of the collection days revisited the background of how the Baltic Way came about. Estonian MEP and Europeana 1989 National Ambassador Tunne Kelam advocated the idea of gathering people's memories and encouraged the public to participate. Mr Kelam previously contributed to a Europeana 1989 roadshow by having his Citizen's Registration Card uploaded to the Europeana website. Historian Küllo Arjakas spoke of the planning that went into the preparatory phase of the Baltic Way. He had with him a set of original meeting notes from the Estonian city of Pärnu that contained interesting details about a meeting of Popular Front members from all three Baltic countries as they laid the groundwork for the huge coming demonstration in which a huge number of people linked hands. Mr Arjakas contributed his notes for inclusion in the Europeana virtual archive.
Filmmaker Peeter Simm, whose documentary film 'The Baltic Way' was shown during the collection days, related stories about the making of the film. Simm happened to see a young man emerging from a forest path with a fishing pole on his shoulder, decked out with an attached Estonian flag. Simm had not been prepared to record the spontaneous event, and asked the young man to retrace his steps so that he could be filmed. Then a Russian TV crew appeared, and the lad had to walk out of the woods a third time. Later the Russian crew said that this is typical of Estonians, who always take the most direct route to their objective.
Press photographer Peeter Langovits, who worked for the Estonian news agency ETA, which was a TASS subsidiary at the time, recalled how he had covered the Baltic Way while on assignment. One of his photos had captured a red flag on which the hammer and sickle was equated with a swastika. TASS refused to disseminate this particular picture, but somehow it reached agencies abroad anyway and was eventually offered to TASS for commercial distribution. Recently, on 23 August of this year, Langovits took photos of marathon runners in Vilnius, Lithuania, who were participating in a race dedicated to the memory of the Baltic Way. Lithuanian runners were also bearing the Estonian national flag. TV reporter Andres Raid spoke emotionally of his memories, noting that he's never subsequently seen a sparkle in the eyes of his countrymen quite as intense as back then on the day of the Baltic Way.
All of the material that was contributed in Tallinn will be made freely accessible at the www.europeana1989.eu website, which also sports an interactive feature that enables visitors to upload additional relevant material. The result will be an intriguing and multihued digital archive that users can delve into for educational purposes, for research, or simply out of curiosity and interest. The archive will continue to accept materials until 23 August 2014, when the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way is due to be celebrated.
Europeana and The Estonian National Library teamed up during the collection days with the Estonian Museum of History, which shared its existing materials and also gained new material during the Tallinn collection event. The UNITAS Foundation was also present, gathering life stories for its Kogu Me Lugu project.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part of and contributed to Europeana 1989!
Europeana and 1989
Europeana is a digital library, museum and archive that has - since 2008 - been carrying out the ambition of Europe's memory institutions to make the rich and diverse heritage of this part of the world available to all who are interested. More than 2,200 memory institutions and organisations contribute to Europeana from 34 countries. Europeana already contains some 29 million digitised cultural objects, thanks to which it's possible to discover, search and explore the cultural and intellectual heritage of Europe.
Europeana gets end-users involved as well, providing them with the opportunity to digitise and share their stories within the context of campaigns. Europeana 1989 is one of these campaigns. Seven countries are involved in the project - Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany. The campaign began in June in Poland, extended through the Baltic States during August, and will move on in the future to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany.

Community Leaders Symposium-Ontario Provincial Police

The Ontario Provincial Police is one of North America’s largest deployed police services. For years to come, significant population growth in Ontario will continue through immigration. The Ontario Provincial Police is actively recruiting in diverse communities in order to sustain a workforce that will continue to represent all Ontarians.

The Ontario Provincial Police embraces the diverse multiculturalism that Canada has to offer and remains focused on building relationships.

We have organized a Community Leaders Symposium and in attendance will be Community Leaders from various cultural backgrounds. Our goal is to educate the Leaders on the Ontario Provincial Police recruitment process and engage in a question and answer session on best practices/strategies that the Ontario Provincial Police can take to attract members from their respective communities to apply for Police constable positions with the Ontario Provincial Police.

We respectfully request your presence at this event which is scheduled for Saturday September 21, 2013 at the North York Civic Center at 10:00 AM-3:00PM

We would appreciate your attendance and look forward to a favorable response. Should you know of community leaders in your respective communities that can help us during this symposium, please feel free to forward this invitation to them.

Please email Shernett.Williams@ontario.ca and include the number of people that will be attending, and the ethnic community you represent.

Regards,

Constable Shernett Williams

Uniform Recruitment

Ontario Provincial Police

If Christ is not Risen... (1 Cor. 14:15) Resurrection. Christ. Antichrist. PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL By Metropolitan Sotirios

“If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain and our faith is also.” So, if Christ is not risen, then our message is without any meaning and our faith without any significance.

In these words, the Apostle Paul tells us plainly that the proof of the divinity of Christ is His resurrection. His Resurrection from the dead verifies His divinity.

Today, many people doubt the Resurrection of Christ. This is not only true of non-Christians, but even of some who call themselves “Christians”. These types of “Christians” speak of a “spiritual resurrection of Christ”. Without realizing it, some of them go further and say that Christ was simply an excellent philosopher. A wise teacher. A person filled with love, devoid of any hatred. With these words, though, they doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ.

St. John the Evangelist and Theologian is the only one who describes the Antichrist. If we study diligently that which St. John the Evangelist says about the Antichrist, one can come to a simple conclusion: the Antichrist is the one who denies the divinity of Christ. Whoever denies the Resurrection of Christ also denies the divinity of Christ. Therefore, this person is a type of ‘antichrist.’

My beloved Christians: The Resurrection of Christ is an historical event. Historians speak of the event. The Apostles also detail the event, saying, “We speak of what we saw. This is what we have heard. This is what we have examined. This is what we have lived.” The Apostles saw the Resurrected Christ. They heard Him. They conversed with Him. They examined Him. They ate with Him. They lived His Resurrection. They had no doubts of His Resurrection and His divinity. The Apostle Thomas proclaimed that he would never believe unless he placed his fingers in the print of the nails and his hand in the Lord’s side.  But once he saw and heard the Risen Lord speaking to him, he proclaimed  characteristically, “My Lord and my God.”

This same Resurrected Christ will come again. He will come in glory. He, who is the Lord of the Heavens and the earth. He will command all those who have died throughout the ages to rise from the dead. Finally, He will judge every person on their faith and their actions. After His Just Judgment, there will follow everlasting life in eternal glory or eternal punishment.

All of us – you who listen to me and I who speak to you – are Christians. We should be watchful, though, so we do not become willingly or unwillingly ‘antichrists’. With all our hearts, beloved Christians, let us believe in the divinity of Christ. In the Resurrection of Christ. In our resurrection on the Final Day. In eternal and everlasting life, participating in the unending glory and bliss of God.

Christ rose from the dead. With the Father and the Holy Spirit, they are the Triune God. God of true God. The Christ. The only Redeemer and Saviour of the world. There is no other. All the false prophets and pseudo-philosophers can say whatever they wish, but only Christ is the Truth.

May we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ - today and forever!  Uniting our voices with St. John Chrysostom, let us exclaim: “Christ is Risen, and Hades is overthrown! Christ is Risen, and demons are fallen! Christ is Risen and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen and life reigns! Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs. To Him is due all glory and the Kingdom unto the ages of ages.” Amen!

With fatherly love and blessings in the Risen Lord,

  

Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios

Head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Canada