This is the definitive story of Monsanto, a chemical company from St. Louis that became the world’s largest producer of genetically modified seeds. Monsanto merged with the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer in 2018, but the Roundup Ready seeds, introduced twenty-five years ago, continue to reshape the farms that feed us.
Incorporating global fields of work, interviews with company employees, and previously unpublished corporate and government records, award-winning historian Bartow J. Elmore traces the remarkable evolution of Monsanto from a small chemical startup to a global powerhouse in the agricultural sector.
Monsanto exploited deals with clients such as Coca-Cola, General Electric, and primarily the U.S. government, using funds derived from toxic products—including PCBs and Agent Orange—to build an agricultural empire, promising endless prosperity through its genetically modified technology.
As new data emerges regarding the blockbuster Roundup system, and while Bayer faces a wave of lawsuits over Monsanto’s products, this urgent historical work offers an incisive look into the company’s past.
Pages: 400, Publication Year: 1112, Dimensions: 16.5x16.5cm
