8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    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 12, 2003 (September 12, 2003)




                           DELTA AND PINE LAND COMPANY

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                                    62-1040440
  (State or other jurisdiction                    (IRS employer
     of incorporation)                          identification No.)
                                   000-21788
                            (Commission file number)

                    One Cotton Row, Scott, Mississippi 38772
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (662) 742-4000


















Item 5.   Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.

Attached and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of a
press release of Delta and Pine Land Company dated September 12, 2003,
announcing court action in our lawsuit against Monsanto Company.

Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

     (c) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.                              Description
- -----------                              -----------
99.1                                     Press Release dated September 12, 2003.























                                    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.

                           DELTA AND PINE LAND COMPANY


Date:     September 12, 2003                  /s/ R.D. Greene
                                              ----------------------------
                                              R. D. Greene,
                                              Vice President - Finance,
                                              Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

EX-99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS
                                               Delta and Pine Land Company
                                               P.O. Box 157
                                               Scott, Mississippi 38772
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact:   Investors                           Media
           Tom Jagodinski                      Stephanie Pillersdorf/Keil Decker
           Delta and Pine Land Company         Citigate Sard Verbinnen
           (662) 742-4518                      (212) 687-8080

                      DELTA AND PINE LAND COMPANY ANNOUNCES
                    COURT ACTION IN LAWSUIT AGAINST MONSANTO

      SCOTT, Miss., September 12, 2003 -- Delta and Pine Land Company (NYSE:
DLP) ("D&PL"), a leading commercial breeder, producer and marketer of cotton
planting seed, today announced that the court has issued two new orders in
D&PL's litigation against Monsanto Company, relating to the failed merger
between the two companies.

      The first order sets forth definitive dates for pre-trial discovery and
motions. It orders the parties to file a jointly-prepared pretrial statement not
later than April 15, 2005, with a trial to follow thereafter. Monsanto had
sought to submit pretrial statements in December 2005 with a trial to be
scheduled after that, while D&PL had sought a 2004 date. The second order allows
Monsanto to amend its answer to include certain counterclaims against D&PL, but
denies Monsanto's motion to add an additional counterclaim. The case is pending
in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Bolivar County
Mississippi.

      Tom Jagodinski, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are
delighted that the court has set a definitive schedule. We will pursue all
remedies to which we are entitled, and we look forward to presenting our case to
a jury. We expected that Monsanto would be allowed to amend its answer to assert
some counterclaims, as is usually allowed. We feel strongly that these
counterclaims are without merit, and we plan to vigorously defend them."

      Delta and Pine Land Company is a commercial breeder, producer and marketer
of cotton planting seed. Headquartered in Scott, Mississippi, with multiple
offices in eight states and facilities in several foreign countries, DLP also
breeds, produces and markets soybean planting seed.

                                                                    # # #

Certain matters discussed in this release are "forward-looking statements,"
including statements about the Company's future plans, goals and other events
which have not yet occurred. These statements are intended to qualify for the
safe harbors from liability provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. They can generally be identified because the context of such
statements will include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects" or
words of similar import. It is the nature of agricultural seed businesses that
supply, demand and their timing are affected by many variables, including
commodity prices, weather and government policy. Due to the seasonal nature of
the seed business, the Company typically incurs losses in its first and fourth
quarters. Additional risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company's
business and forward looking statements are set forth in the Company's latest
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.