Monsanto Wants Wheat Testing Site Near Great Falls

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — Cascade County commissioners have voted to re-zone property on the northwestern edge of Great Falls to allow seed and herbicide maker Monsanto Co. to locate a wheat breeding testing site there.

The Great Falls Tribune reports (http://gftrib.com/1d7VfHK) the county is taking public comment for 30 days on Tuesday's decision to change the zoning from commercial to light industrial, which would allow the inside storage of chemicals.

Last spring, Monsanto announced a new Wheat Technology Center near Twin Falls, Idaho. Monsanto spokeswoman Sara Miller says regional sites will support wheat breeding testing and Great Falls is one of those sites.

Monsanto has signed a five-year building lease that is contingent on the zoning change.

Monsanto's job listing for a wheat testing agronomist in Great Falls indicates that person would be managing 20 to 30 test plots.