Seed giant Monsanto Co. continues to develop crops that will be less prone to drought. But for now, farmers’ fortunes still ride with Mother Nature.

The relationship might explain why the Creve Coeur-based company is choosing to help sponsor a new section on the Weather Channel’s website where it can promote brands such as DeKalb and Roundup.

The new site endeavors to go beyond typical weather information, providing forecast data specific to agriculture, such as soil moisture and frost alerts — information that non-farmers and non-gardeners probably disregard. Other features include weather maps specific to agriculture and an almanac that lets users compare a particular day’s forecast with historical conditions.