Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. lawmakers expressed concern on Tuesday over a wave of mergers among companies that sell farmers their seeds, herbicides and insecticides, worrying that the deals could lead to higher prices and less innovation at a time of dropping farm incomes. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said the proposed mergers […] Read more
U.S. lawmakers skeptical of ag chemical, seed merger wave
Bayer betting billions farmers will back linked-up supplies
Reading Time: 3 minutes Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer’s US$66 billion purchase of Monsanto amounts to a long-term bet that farmers will grow to trust combinations of seeds and pesticides rather than continue to pick from ranges of separate products. In the short term, the German drugs and chemicals firm hopes to benefit from a marketing and sales force […] Read more
Bayer clinches Monsanto with raised US$66 billion bid
Reading Time: 4 minutes New York/Frankfurt | Reuters — German drugs and crop chemicals company Bayer has won over U.S. seeds firm Monsanto with an improved takeover offer of US$66 billion including debt, ending months of wrangling after increasing its bid for a third time. The $128 a share deal announced on Wednesday, up from Bayer’s previous offer of […] Read more
Bayer sweetens Monsanto bid as talks enter final stretch
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — German pharmaceutical and crops manufacturer Bayer said on Monday that its negotiations with Monsanto had advanced, and that it was now willing to offer more than US$65 billion to acquire the world’s largest seeds company. Bayer’s announcement came as the gap in price expectations between the two companies has narrowed significantly, although important […] Read more
U.S. watchdog clears ChemChina’s takeover of Syngenta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Zurich | Reuters — A U.S. regulator has cleared ChemChina’s US$43 billion takeover of Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta, the companies said Monday, boosting chances that the largest foreign acquisition ever by a Chinese company will go through. The decision should remove significant uncertainty over whether the acquisition of the world’s largest pesticides maker […] Read more
Monsanto reported giving Bayer limited access to its books
Reading Time: < 1 minute Frankfurt | Reuters — U.S. seed company Monsanto has given German suitor Bayer limited access to its books after turning down a sweetened US$64 billion takeover offer last month, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. The parties have not yet signed a non-disclosure agreement, which would allow Bayer to conduct due diligence, but […] Read more
Long-term U.K. study links neonics to wild bee declines
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — Wild bees that forage from oilseed rape crops treated with insecticides known as neonicotinoids are more likely to undergo long-term population declines than bees that forage from other sources, according to the findings of an 18-year study. The new research covered 62 species of bee found in the wild in Britain […] Read more
EU approves Monsanto Roundup Ready 2 Xtend beans
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — The European Commission on Friday approved imports of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready 2 Xtend genetically modified soybeans, opening up an important export market for North American soybeans and easing their global rollout. The decision removes a hurdle for Monsanto in its dealings with farmers and grain traders, who have to keep track of whether […] Read more
Monsanto says no to $64-billion question
Monsanto says Bayer's latest bid financially inadequate, but open to talks
Reading Time: 2 minutes (Reuters) — U.S. seed company Monsanto Co turned down a sweetened $64 billion acquisition offer from Bayer AG, but said it was open to further talks with the German healthcare and chemicals group as well as other parties. The widely expected rejection puts pressure on Bayer to sweeten its offer once again, at least enough […] Read more
Bayer sweetens offer for hesitant Monsanto
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — German drug and crop chemical group Bayer on Thursday announced details of a sweetened US$64 billion bid for Monsanto as it tries to put the U.S. seed company under pressure to engage further. The move shows the two companies have made little progress in their negotiations since Monsanto rejected Bayer’s previous offer in […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
