St. Louis, Missouri
September 4, 2002

Monsanto Company announced today that Robert J. Stevens of Potomac, Maryland, was elected to the Monsanto Company board of directors, effective Aug. 30, 2002. Mr. Stevens is president and chief operating officer and a director of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a firm engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services.

The company also announced that John S. Reed of New York has resigned from the Monsanto board. Mr. Reed is the retired chairman of Citigroup Inc., a global financial services company, and had served as a director of Monsanto since June 2000. In addition, Mr. Reed served on the board of the former Monsanto Company (now Pharmacia Corporation) from 1985 through 2001.

Mr. Stevens joined Lockheed Martin in 1993 as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the corporation's Air Traffic Management Division. He has since held a variety of increasingly responsible management positions within Lockheed Martin, including chief financial officer. Mr. Stevens was appointed to Lockheed Martin's board of directors in 2000, and was named to his current position in 2001. In February 2001, Mr. Stevens was appointed to President George W. Bush's Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Mr. Stevens was employed by the Loral Corporation for five years. He also served in the United States Marine Corps.

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is a leading global provider of technology- based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For more information on Monsanto, see: www.monsanto.com.