1.Monsanto Moves into its Newest Venture: Biofuels
2.The Monsanto US Defense Department Connection Again

NOTE: Both items via Biofuelwatch: 
 http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/
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1.Agri-Biotech Giant Monsanto Moves into its Newest Venture: Biofuels From Prairie Grasses
Money Morning, 1 May 2008
 http://moneymorning.com/2008/05/01/agri-biotech-giant-monsanto-moves-into-its-newest-venture-biofuels-from-prairie-grasses/

Agricultural-biotech giant Monsanto Co. (MON) is already a global leader in the development of genetically engineered crop seeds.

Now the St. Louis-based firm is exploring the potential for biofuels, one of the hottest sectors in the alternative energy realm.

Monsanto and the Hayward, Calif.-based Mendel Biotechnology Inc. have joined forces to study how certain prairie grasses could be transformed into biofuels.

The terms of the deal were not released. But the companies aren't strangers. In fact, Monsanto and Mendel say that they've spent more than a decade collaborating on the development of "biotechnology traits" for such crops as corn, soy, cotton and canola. And the two firms bring highly complementary sets of skills to the table at a time when those skills figure to be in high demand.

The decade-old Mendel has largely operated as a research-and-development enterprise. It linked up with Monsanto as a way of eventually commercializing its technology.

Monsanto develops insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agricultural products. In fact, it's a world leader. Of the 100 million acres of "transgenic" – genetically altered, or engineered – crops planted worldwide, 90% contain at least some element of "trait technology" created by Monsanto, Mendel said of its longtime partner.

Mendel Biotechnology is a plant-biotechnology company that develops products focused on both "row crops" and on so-called "cellulosic" ingredients for biofuels. Cellulosic biofuels are made from leaves, stems, stalks or other typically non-edible parts of plants, and which therefore also have the potential to expand the biofuels supply and deliver environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, according to Monsanto.

In this latest partnership, the two companies will apply Monsanto's expertise in crop testing, breeding and seed production to perennial grass seed varieties Mendel is developing for use in biofuels and other commercial applications. Cellulosic biofuels will be a key focus.

Research shows the application has real promise.
 http://moneymorning.com/2008/05/01/agri-biotech-giant-monsanto-moves-into-its-newest-venture-biofuels-from-prairie-grasses/
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2.THEN COMES THIS JAN 3 2013 .... (The Monsanto US Defense Department Connection Again)

DOE Awards Monsanto $10 Million to Develop Advanced Biofuels and Bio-based Products on FREE public federal lands via Biofuels Digest
 http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/01/03/doe-awards-10-million-to-develop-advanced-biofuels-and-bio-based-products/

A National Biomass Lend-Lease project : Biofuels Digest
 http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/02/04/a-national-biomass-lend-lease-project/

The military would like affordable, domestically-produced, drop-in, renewable fuels.

Drop-in fuel producers would like long-term, stable fuel sale. and feedstock purchase contracts.

Why not put those needs together?

According to a Defense Department report, the US Navy will need 336 million gallons of renewable fuel by 2018 to meet its Green Fleet goals. Let’s take that as a starting point.

The same report concluded that “the projected supply of drop-in renewable fuels will not be sufficient to meet anticipated DoD demand for renewable jet fuel products. Also, price premiums for drop-in renewable fuels…may be considerable.” Elsewhere, the report suggests that the price premium may range from $1.43 to $5.24 per gallon.

To accelerate production and ensure that costs are in line, affordable feedstocks — which can represent up to 80 percent of finished fuel costs — are essential.

A National Biomass Lend-Lease project could achieve that goal. What is it, exactly?

NBL in focus

The NBL is a dedicated portion of federal lands — made available for no-cost (lend) leasing to bioenergy producers or their supply-chain partners who, in turn, commit to supplying affordable, drop-in, low-carbon, domestically-produced fuel to the DoD while observing strict sustainability guidelines.

Read More:  http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/02/04/a-national-biomass-lend-lease-project/