Dunno about Monsanto. They may be pioneering, but I'm not sure about the patenting of lifeforms...
Well, they need some money to feed their genetic modified families
& Because of some greentards in governments introducing new food modifications is huge pain in the ass. Years of tests & tons of money just to approve rice that will save millions of children, for example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_rice"The research was conducted with the goal of producing a fortified food to be grown and consumed in areas with a shortage of dietary vitamin A,[2] a deficiency which is estimated to kill 670,000 children under the age of 5 each year.
Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists."
Btw, anti-globalization activists are another form of humanity cancer.