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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

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FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 16, 2003

MONSANTO COMPANY

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (314) 694-1000

 

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	ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
	ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
SIGNATURE
EXHIBIT INDEX
EX-99.1 Press Release
EX-99.2 Slide Presentation

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ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(c)

Exhibits

      99.1 Press Release, dated September 8, 2003, issued by Monsanto Company

      99.2 Slide presentation by the Chief Executive Officer of Monsanto Company, dated September 16, 2003

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     On September 16, 2003, Monsanto Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant, will speak at Banc of America Securities’ 33rd Annual Investment Conference in San Francisco. A press release dated September 8, 2003, issued by Monsanto Company, and a slide presentation given at the conference, are attached to this report as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

     The slide presentation used in conjunction with this conference and a simultaneous audio webcast of the presentation will be available separately through a web site established by the conference organizer. Direct links to the conference-sponsored webcasts of the presentation will be available by visiting the Company’s web site at www.monsanto.com and clicking on “Investor Information.”

     We are furnishing the information contained in this report, including the attached slide presentation, pursuant to Regulation FD promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). This information shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, unless we specifically incorporate it by reference in a document filed under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act. By filing this report on Form 8-K and furnishing this information, we make no admission as to the materiality of any information in this report, including the attached slide presentation, or that any such information includes material investor information that is not otherwise publicly available.

     The information contained in this report, including the information contained in the attached slide presentation, is summary information that is intended to be considered in the context of our SEC filings and other public announcements that we may make, by press release or otherwise, from time to time. We disclaim any current intention to revise or update the information contained in this report, including the information contained in the attached slide presentation, although we may do so from time to time as our management believes is warranted. Any such updating may be made through the filing of other reports or documents with the SEC, through press releases or through other public disclosure.

     Certain statements contained in this report, including the information contained in the attached slide presentation, such as statements concerning our anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, currency impact, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, our 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: fluctuations in exchange rates and other developments related to foreign currencies and economies; increased generic and branded competition for our Roundup herbicide; the accuracy of our estimates and projections, for example, those with respect to product returns and grower use of our products and related distribution inventory levels; the effect of weather conditions and

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commodity markets on the agriculture business; the success of our research and development activities and the speed with which regulatory authorizations and product launches may be achieved; domestic and foreign social, legal and political developments, especially those relating to agricultural products developed through biotechnology; our ability to continue to manage our costs; our ability to successfully market new and existing products in new and existing domestic and international markets; our ability to obtain payment for the products that we sell; our ability to achieve and maintain protection for our intellectual property; the effects of our accounting policies and changes in generally accepted accounting principles; our exposure to lawsuits and other liabilities and contingencies, including those related to intellectual property, regulatory compliance (including seed quality), environmental contamination and antitrust; our ability to fund our short-term financing needs; general economic and business conditions; political and economic conditions due to threat of future terrorist activity and related military action; and other risks and factors detailed in our filings with the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this report. We disclaim any current intention to revise or update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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