ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has begun an inquiry into possible antitrust violations by the agricultural firm Monsanto Co., his office said Thursday.

Monsanto said it will respond to the attorney general's civil investigative demand by providing information on its seed, trait and chemistry licensing and marketing programs to Miller's office.

Miller's office said in a written statement it is seeking information on business practices of Monsanto. Spokesman Bob Brammer declined further comment.

The St. Louis-based company is the world's largest biotech seed producer, supplying seeds for corn and other grains that are designed to yield more crop per acre. The company also makes and sells agricultural chemicals like Roundup herbicide. It had sales of $7.3 billion last year.

"Farmers buy seed each year based on the yield and value brought to their farms at harvest which has resulted in rapid and broad adoption of biotech seed products," the company said in a statement. "Given the pace and scale of agricultural biotechnology adoption, it is understandable why regulators want to know more about competition in modern agriculture and how products are developed and used."

Monsanto spokeswoman Tami Craig Schilling said an investigative demand is a process allowing an attorney general's office and a company to exchange information confidentially. She said the company would provide the information to any state attorney general who requested it.

"Typically it starts as a very broad request," Schilling said. "We are prepared to respond to their questions and provide additional information."

Monsanto shares rose 59 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $72.37.