FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Hartley Tom D 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 12/08/2008 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MONSANTO CO /NEW/ [MON] (Last) (First) (Middle) 800 N. LINDBERGH BLVD. 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Vice President and Treasurer 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) ST. LOUIS, MO 63167 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 2,000 D   Common Stock 4,322 I By 401(k) Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Option (right to buy)	04/25/2004(1)	04/24/2013	Common Stock	11,000	$ 8.0725	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	03/15/2005(2)	02/26/2014	Common Stock	11,860	$ 16.1925	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	11/15/2005(3)	10/28/2014	Common Stock	17,900	$ 20.805	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	11/15/2006(4)	10/27/2015	Common Stock	9,600	$ 29.2175	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	11/15/2007(5)	10/25/2016	Common Stock	6,600	$ 44.06	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	07/15/2008(6)	07/14/2017	Common Stock	330	$ 70.06	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	11/15/2008(7)	10/21/2017	Common Stock	4,900	$ 87.14	D	Â
Option (right to buy)	11/15/2009(8)	10/19/2018	Common Stock	4,960	$ 89.45	D	Â
Phantom Share Units	  (9)	  (9)	Common Stock	1,588	$ (10)	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Hartley Tom D 800 N. LINDBERGH BLVD. ST. LOUIS, MO 63167	Â	Â	  Vice President and Treasurer	Â

Signatures

Christopher A. Martin, by Power of Attorney		12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	One-third of the options became exercisable on April 25, 2004, one-third of the options became exercisable on March 15, 2005 and one-third of the options became exercisable on March 15, 2006, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(2)	One-third of the options became exercisable on March 15, 2005, one-third of the options became exercisable on March 15, 2006 and one-third of the options became exercisable on March 15, 2007, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(3)	One-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2005, one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2006 and one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2007, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(4)	One-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2006, one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2007 and one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2008, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(5)	One-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2007, one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2008 and one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2009, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(6)	One-third of the options became exercisable on July 15, 2008, one-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2008 and one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2009, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(7)	One-third of the options became exercisable on November 15, 2008, one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2009 and one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2010, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(8)	One-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2009, one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2010 and one-third of the options become exercisable on November 15, 2011, subject to the terms and conditions of the Monsanto Company Long Term Incentive Plan.
(9)	The reported phantom share units were acquired under Monsanto Company's non-qualified defined contribution plan and are to be settled upon the reporting person's retirement or other termination of service.
(10)	1 for 1

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.