Monsanto Buys Climate Corp. Envisions Big Data Farming 75
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."
ooook..?? (Score:4, 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.
Monsanto rules the US (Score:5, Insightful)
fast forward a few years and I predict... (Score:2, Insightful)
...that Monsanto is found to be skewing the forecasts for the benefit of their other products (only based on the fact that their track record shows that they really do have everyone's best interests at heart).
Re:ooook..?? (Score:5, Insightful)
> Why do we have a routine business sales article
Because somebody submitted it, and Slashdot caters to the Monsanto Derangement Syndrome crowd.
Re:ooook..?? (Score:4, 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.
Re:Monsanto rules the US (Score:4, 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.
Re:Monsanto rules the US (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Re:ooook..?? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:ooook..?? (Score:5, 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.