Actually he didn't exactly 'work for Monsanto', he founded WeatherBill/The Climate Corporation, which was acquired by Monsanto in 2013 (for 1.1Bn!). Presumably he was 'resting and vesting' until his exit in 2015.
[0] https://techcrunch.com/2012/06/14/founders-fund-leads-the-cl...
Did you read the article? The grain is grown in one of the harshest environments known a long way from markets. Any technology that allows farmers insight into their crops would benefit them, the supply chain and customers.
Hard to verify, but I'll take your word for it. Thanks for the inside comments.