MonsantoIt turns out Monsanto needs a little help with its mission to create genetically modified, chemically enhanced supercrops that are resistant to everything the planet could throw at them.

The Big Ag giant is purchasing big data company The Climate Corporation for $930 million.

The Climate Corporation applies data analytics to weather to help farmers adapt to climate change. It combines “hyper-local” weather monitoring, agronomic data modeling, and weather simulations to gain insight into how changing weather conditions could affect crops. The company also has technology to help farmers manage these risks and offers “weather insurance.”

Monsanto said in a statement that the goal of this acquisition is to increase farmer productivity and help them use their resources more effectively.

“The Climate Corporation is focused on unlocking new value for the farm through data science,” said Hugh Grant, chairman and CEO of Monsanto. “Everyone benefits when farmers are able to produce more with fewer resources.”

Except that not everyone benefits.

Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds and the resulting crops have damaged public and environmental health and destroyed traditional farming communities all over the world. Its seeds have been linked to cancer and birth defects, and its array of chemicals and GMOs promotes pesticide resistance, spreads gene contaminants, pollutes soil and groundwater, and creates a global monoculture monopoly that presents a significant threat to the global food supply. But I digress.

The more productive the farmers are, the more genetically engineered crop seeds the world has, and the more money Monsanto can make. The Climate Corporation’s technology will help Monsanto build out its data science and technology offerings, “which represents the agriculture sector’s next major breakthrough.” By Rebecca Grant read more