Early spring sowing has already reaped record sales for Monsanto.

With half the fiscal year complete, company executives reported today that the strong performance of their seeds and traits business, combined with an early start to the U.S. planting season drove a record quarter and increased the outlook for earnings this year.

“Our strong U.S. selling season and growth from Latin America during the first six months have come together to set us up for a great 2012,” said Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Monsanto. “We’ve seen contributions from growth across crops and geographies, which position us well to deliver high-teens ongoing earnings growth this year. We’re also pleased growers have recognized the value of our product portfolio and given us the opportunity to earn their business.”

Net sales increased $617 million or 15 percent in the three-month comparison driven by global gains in corn and a strong selling season in the United States. Second quarter gross profit rose 17 percent to $2.7 billion compared to the prior year second quarter. For the first six months, gross profit is up 21 percent or $667 million.

While still early in the season, Monsanto expects acres of its Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans and Genuity® reduced refuge corn family to increase by more than 10 million acres each, which if realized would allow the company to reach its projections for those new products this year.