[pikewood]

It's a smart move in several ways. For one, Monsanto has to grow all the seed it is going to sell, so knowing which areas will most likely have the weather patterns conducive to that particular hybrid will increase their yield. Secondly, knowing what to expect in weather trends means they can decide what to focus on for crop traits, both in research and marketing. The recent drought caused Pioneer's first-to-market drought-tolerant seed to sell out, and I'm sure Monsanto is looking to find the next hit seller trait.

[randomdata]

I think it is worth mentioning that Monsanto is a general technology company, which includes the seed technology you mention, but they are also involved in research and advancement elsewhere, like in precision farming. Weather forecasting technology ties into a lot of areas of their business.