-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Pgh/CPGy/ttcI06JrIOnXTrUcMdf2uAg+gU/tC48BMYvGZXAKj6LB941abYC1tQw y9RmXWMuqwXHLtEHTdCiNg== 0000950114-97-000450.txt : 19971024 0000950114-97-000450.hdr.sgml : 19971024 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950114-97-000450 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-8 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 4 FILED AS OF DATE: 19971023 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 19971023 SROS: NYSE FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MONSANTO CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000067686 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: CHEMICALS & ALLIED PRODUCTS [2800] IRS NUMBER: 430420020 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-8 SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-38599 FILM NUMBER: 97699843 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 800 N LINDBERGH BLVD CITY: ST LOUIS STATE: MO ZIP: 63167 BUSINESS PHONE: 3146941000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 800 NORTH LINDBERGH BLVD CITY: ST LOUIS STATE: MO ZIP: 63167 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: MONSANTO CHEMICAL CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19711003 S-8 1 MONSANTO COMPANY FORM S-8 1 As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 23, 1997 Registration No. 333-______ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 ----------------------- FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 MONSANTO COMPANY (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 43-0420020 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard 63167 St. Louis, Missouri (Zip Code) (Address of Principal Executive Offices) MONSANTO COMPANY NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR EQUITY INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN (full title of the plan) R. William Ide III, Esq. General Counsel Monsanto Company 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis, Missouri 63167 (Name and address of Agent for service) (314) 694-1000 (Telephone number, including area code, of Agent for service) Calculation of Registration Fee ==================================================================================================================================
Title of securities Amount to be Proposed maximum Proposed maximum Amount of to be registered registered offering price per aggregate offering registration fee share - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock 500,000 $41.34375 $20,671,875 $6,264.20 ($2 par value) ==================================================================================================================================== - -------------- Section 11 of the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan") provides that in the event of a stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, etc., the total number of shares which may be purchased or awarded, the number of shares covered by each outstanding award, and the price per share of such shares shall be equitably adjusted. Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 416, this registration statement covers, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock stated above, an indeterminate number of shares which, by reason of any such event, may become subject to the Plan. Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) and based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported in The Wall Street Journal for the New York Stock Exchange Composite Transactions for October 17, 1997.
2 PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participating employees as specified by Rule 428 (b) (1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Such documents are not being filed with or included in this Registration Statement (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE. The documents listed in (a) through (c) below of Monsanto Company (hereinafter referred to as the "Company" or "registrant"), and all such other documents or portions of documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post- effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 1997, which contains audited consolidated financial statements for the Company's most recent fiscal year for which such statements have been filed; (b) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report on Form 10-K referred to in (a) above; and (c) The description of Monsanto Company common stock, $2.00 par value per share ("Common Stock"), and the description of associated Preferred Stock Purchase Rights contained in registration statements filed under the Exchange Act, 1 3 including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES. Not applicable. ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL. The legality of the Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Plan will be passed upon for the Company by Eric R. Fencl, Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the Company. ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware sets forth provisions pursuant to which directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company may be indemnified against any liability which they may incur in their capacity as such. Section 59 of the Company's By-Laws provides for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and officers and maintains directors' and officers' liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers. ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED. Not applicable. ITEM 8. EXHIBITS. See Exhibit Index at page 7. 2 4 ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS. (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. (2) That for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a 3 5 new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. * * * (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. 4 6 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the County of St. Louis, and the State of Missouri, on this 23rd day of October, 1997. MONSANTO COMPANY (Registrant) By: /s/ Eric R. Fencl ------------------------------------- Eric R. Fencl Assistant Secretary Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature Title Date --------- ----- ---- - ----------------------------- Chairman, President and Director October 23, 1997 (Robert B. Shapiro) (Principal Executive Officer) - ----------------------------- Vice Chairman and Director October 23, 1997 (Nicholas L. Reding) - ----------------------------- Senior Vice President October 23, 1997 (Robert B. Hoffman) (Principal Financial Officer) - ----------------------------- Vice President and Controller October 23, 1997 (Michael R. Hogan) (Principal Accounting Officer) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (Robert M. Heyssel) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (Michael Kantor) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (Gwendolyn S. King) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (Philip Leder) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (Jacobus F. M. Peters) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (John S. Reed) 5 7 - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (John E. Robson) - ----------------------------- Director October 23, 1997 (William D. Ruckelshaus) Eric R. Fencl, by signing his name hereto, does sign this document on behalf of the above noted individuals, pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by such individuals which have been filed as an Exhibit to this Registration Statement. /s/ Eric R. Fencl ------------------------------------------- Eric R. Fencl Attorney-in-Fact 6 8 EXHIBIT INDEX ------------- These Exhibits are numbered in accordance with the Exhibit Table of Item 601 of Regulation S-K.
Exhibit No. Description - ----------- ----------- (4) Form of Rights Agreement, dated as of January 26, 1990 between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New York as Successor Rights Agent to The First National Bank of Boston (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on January 31, 1990) (5) Opinion re legality of securities to be issued (15) Omitted - Inapplicable (23) 1. Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP 2. Consent of Company Counsel - See Exhibit 5 (24) Powers of Attorney submitted by Robert M. Heyssel, Robert B. Hoffman, Michael R. Hogan, Michael Kantor, Gwendolyn S. King, Philip Leder, Jacobus F. M. Peters, Nicholas L. Reding, John S. Reed, John E. Robson, William D. Ruckelshaus and Robert B. Shapiro
7 EX-5 2 OPINION RE LEGALITY 1 EXHIBIT 5 October 23, 1997 Securities and Exchange Commission 450 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20549 Gentlemen: As Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Monsanto Company, a Delaware Corporation having its general offices at 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63167 (the "Company"), I am familiar with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering 500,000 shares of common stock, $2 par value per share, of Monsanto Company ("Common Stock") authorized for delivery to certain non-employee directors of the Company under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan, which authorizes delivery of the 500,000 shares, was approved by the Company's Board of Directors by unanimous consent effective as of October 20, 1997. I am also familiar with the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation and its By-Laws as now in effect, and with all corporate and other proceedings taken by the Board of Directors relative to the authorization of the Plan, including the proposed delivery of 500,000 shares of Common Stock thereunder. It is my opinion that the Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware; that the Plan, including the proposed delivery of up to 500,000 shares of Common Stock thereunder, has been duly authorized by appropriate corporate action of the Company; and that the aforesaid 500,000 shares of Common Stock, when delivered pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to said Registration Statement and to its use in connection therewith. I further consent to the reference to Company counsel in the "Commitments and Contingencies" note to the financial statements incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996 and incorporated by reference in said Registration Statement. My consent to the reference to Company counsel in the note is not an admission that the consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933. Very truly yours, /s/ Eric R. Fencl Eric R. Fencl Counsel and Assistant Secretary Monsanto Company EX-23.1 3 CONSENT OF EXPERT 1 EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS MONSANTO COMPANY: We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Monsanto Company on Form S-8 of our reports dated February 28, 1997, appearing in and incorporated by reference in your annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996. DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP Saint Louis, Missouri October 23, 1997 EX-24 4 POWERS OF ATTORNEY 1 EXHIBIT 24 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Robert M. Heyssel, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 20th day of October, 1997. /s/ Robert M. Heyssel ---------------------------- Robert M. Heyssel 2 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Robert B. Hoffman, Principal Financial Officer of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 23rd day of October, 1997. /s/ Robert B. Hoffman ---------------------------- Robert B. Hoffman 3 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Michael R. Hogan, Principal Accounting Officer of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 23rd day of October, 1997. /s/ Michael R. Hogan ---------------------------- Michael R. Hogan 4 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Michael Kantor, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 22nd day of October, 1997. /s/ Michael Kantor ---------------------------- Michael Kantor 5 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Gwendolyn S. King, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 20th day of October, 1997. /s/ Gwendolyn S. King ---------------------------- Gwendolyn S. King 6 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Philip Leder, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non- Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 20th day of October, 1997. /s/ Philip Leder ---------------------------- Philip Leder 7 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Jacobus F. M. Peters, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 22nd day of October, 1997. /s/ Jacobus F. M. Peters ---------------------------- Jacobus F. M. Peters 8 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Nicholas L. Reding, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 20th day of October, 1997. /s/ Nicholas L. Reding ---------------------------- Nicholas L. Reding 9 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, John S. Reed, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 23rd day of October, 1997. /s/ John S. Reed ---------------------------- John S. Reed 10 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, John E. Robson, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, all of St. Louis County, Missouri, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 20th day of October, 1997. /s/ John E. Robson ---------------------------- John E. Robson 11 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, William D. Ruckelshaus, Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 17th day of October, 1997. /s/ William D. Ruckelshaus ---------------------------- William D. Ruckelshaus 12 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That I, Robert B. Shapiro, Principal Executive Officer and Director of Monsanto Company (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the County of St. Louis, Missouri, do by these presents make, constitute and appoint R. WILLIAM IDE III, BARBARA L. BLACKFORD and ERIC R. FENCL, or any of them acting alone, to be my true and lawful attorneys for me and in my name, place and stead, to execute and sign the Registration Statement on Form S-8 and any Amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), covering the registration of the Company's securities to be issued under the Monsanto Company Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Compensation Plan, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as I might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents. Witness my hand this 22nd day of October, 1997. /s/ Robert B. Shapiro ---------------------------- Robert B. Shapiro -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----