Why is Monsanto able to own over 40 of the worlds seed? Arent most companies considered trying to corner the market for owning much less than that?

Expert response from Kelly Clauss

Global Communications Strategy Lead, IT, Bayer Crop Science

Friday, 15/05/2015 17:04

It is true that Monsanto is one of the largest commercial seed companies, but what we offer is less than 5 percent of the world’s seeds. There are many more than 1,000 separate seed companies that supply the commercial seed market globally. Therefore, if a farmer wants to plant seed from a seed company other than Monsanto, it’s pretty easy to do that. 

Within the United States, the crops in which our brands account for the highest percentage of sales are corn, soybeans and cotton.  Monsanto’s seed brands account for about one-third of sales of corn seed in the United States, with another competitor having about the same or larger share. Monsanto brands are second in the sale of soybean seeds in the United States, again having about one-third of the share.  There are hundreds of seed companies that sell corn and soybean seed to American farmers, and again, if a farmer wants to avoid Monsanto brands, it is pretty easy to find seeds from other sources.  For more information on this topic, please see an expanded response to a similar question written by my colleague Sara Miller.

Expert response from Kelly Clauss

Global Communications Strategy Lead, IT, Bayer Crop Science

Thursday, 30/06/2016 18:20

This question was originally answered on 5/15/15. Please see below for an updated response to your question with new information.

*Updated Response*

It is true that Monsanto is one of the largest commercial seed companies, but there are more than 1,000 separate seed companies that supply the commercial seed market globally. For more information on this topic, please see an expanded response to a similar question written by my colleague Sara Miller.