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Monsanto Buys Climate Corp. Envisions Big Data Farming

Posted by samzenpus on from the circle-of-business dept.

cagraham writes "Agriculture giant Monsanto has purchased the weather analytics firm Climate Corporation for over $930 Millionl. Climate Corp, a firm founded by ex-Google data scientists and software engineers, specializes in hyper-local weather prediction which they use to recommend risk-management and crop-insurance policies for farmers. Monsanto likely wants to use this technology to boost their big data farming systems, and help better market their genetically engineered crop seeds. This news comes the same day that Monsanto posted increased Q4 losses of $0.47 per share."

14 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. ooook..?? by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And? Why do we have a routine business sales article instead of an article on hyper-local weather forecasting?

    and it's not prediction, it's forecasting.

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    1. Re:ooook..?? by girlintraining · · Score: 4, Funny

      It'd be helpful if you could tell us the difference.

      There isn't one; the definition of forecasting is "to predict or estimate (a future event or trend)." I think he views prediction as more "crystal ball" and forecasting more "computer screen" ... but he tripped over his lack of finesse with the language and took a snarky to the knee.

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    2. Re:ooook..?? by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      > Why do we have a routine business sales article

      Because somebody submitted it, and Slashdot caters to the Monsanto Derangement Syndrome crowd.

    3. Re:ooook..?? by peragrin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The problem is Predicting means using a computer and science where as forecasting especially weather is reaching into your ass and pulling out something. Seriously the closest weather forecasting comes at 5 days out is a rough Idea of temperature. maybe clouds if a big system is moving a big enough area.

      At 48 hours out I expect weather forecasts to be about 50% correct but i still make plans the same

      At 24 hours out it isn't to far off but they have trouble with more localised(county level) events.

      at 1 hour out they are usually pretty spot on but then you can always look out the window yourself.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    4. Re:ooook..?? by Aryden · · Score: 3, Insightful

      ah but you see, many of us believe that corporations should not be blatantly malicious. Look at Monsanto's history of abuses and you will easily see why many of us have a deep abiding distaste for them. And yes, corporations should actually server some public benefit, but not banished if they don't, just fined/taxed/penalized not given the keys to the whorehouse.

    5. Re:ooook..?? by cyber-vandal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Given that society has granted them the enormous privilege of limited liability it's not unreasonable to expect them to serve the public good, or at the very least not make the world a worse place to live.

  2. Monsanto rules the US by Valentinial · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm fairly certain Monsanto is one of the big corporations that rule the US. Where is that chart I saw once about the major companies that own all the other companies. This has to be on there somewhere.

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    @Valentinial
    1. Re:Monsanto rules the US by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      In 50 years it will be Borgsanto

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    2. Re:Monsanto rules the US by Valentinial · · Score: 4, Interesting

      http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php/news/archive/2013/15083-senate-to-end-monsanto-protection-act

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      @Valentinial
    3. Re:Monsanto rules the US by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I doubt it. Monsanto is about 200 in the Fortune 500 list.

      Good sized, but not likely to be ruling the US.

    4. Re:Monsanto rules the US by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Monsanto is the largest seed company in the world, however they only have about a 20% market share.

      The idea that they decide 'the steady march towards monoculture' or have a huge impact on the entire world population is preposterous tin-foil mad hattery.

    5. Re:Monsanto rules the US by idunham · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But how many of the 200+ above Monsanto have a real impact on food production worldwide? How many more or less decide the steady march towards agricultural monoculture that has been predicted by many to be the first step in a crop collapse?

      Let's see who's involved in ag-related industries and above Monsanto:
      Food processors:
      Archer-Daniels-Midland, ConAgra, Tyson Foods, Smithfield, and a few more. I'm excluding bottling companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola.
      Manufacurers producing ag equipment among other products:
      Ford, Caterpillar, Deere & Co.
      Chemical/drug companies with major ag lines and a larger total size:
      Dow (ag chemicals, seeds), Merck (veterinary), DuPont (ag chemicals, seeds)

      Monsanto is in the same vicinity as Waste Management and DISH Network. I named ten companies that are larger.

  3. Monsanto will soon be suing over weather by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Knowing Monsanto, they will predict the weather for an area, but if that predicted weather then accidentally moves onto your property, Monsanto will sue you for using the weather they predicted.

  4. Here Come The Conspiracy Theories! by Hartree · · Score: 3, Funny

    Two great sources of them. Now in one easy package!

    "Monsanto must be buying Climate Corp. to help the global warming denialists to let them keep destroying the earth!"