Dole under U.S. probe after deadly listeria outbreak

Los Angeles | Reuters — Dole Food Co. Inc. said on Friday the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating a deadly listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to packaged salad products from its processing plant in Springfield, Ohio. Dole, the world’s largest fruit and vegetable producer, said in a statement the agency recently contacted the company and

(Dow.com)

DuPont expects U.S. review of Dow deal to end by June 30

Reuters — DuPont said Tuesday it expected the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s review of its proposed merger with Dow Chemical to be completed by the end of June. The two chemical companies agreed to combine in an all-stock merger in December, valued at US$130 billion at the time, in a first step towards breaking



Bigger and bigger and …

Two years ago March 12, trumpets blasted in Ankeny, Iowa, as America’s new gladiators for agricultural justice — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., his antitrust chief Christine Varney, U.S. Department of Agriculture boss Tom Vilsack and hundreds of farmers — gathered for a day-long discussion on “competitive dynamics of the seed industry; trends in


Tyson Pays Penalty

U.S. meat producer Tyson Foods Inc. said it will pay $4 million to the U.S. Justice Department and $1.2 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle a 2007 case over improper payments involving its Mexican poultry subsidiary. In early 2007, Tyson voluntarily disclosed that improper payments of more than $100,000 had been made

“Chicken Feed” Sums Up U. S. Poultry Returns

In a morning session of the May 21 U. S. Department of Justice-Department of Agriculture workshop on ag and antitrust enforcement, Alabama poultry grower Garry Staples told officials he expected “retaliation” from the firm he grows chickens for because of his participation in that event’s discussion of poultry contracts. Not so, opined Assistant Attorney General


USDA-DOJ Workshop Better Work

“I can buy seed from 100 different companies but 90 per cent of all the germplasm in it comes from just one company, Monsanto.” The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR, often brags that it’s the only sport in the world to begin every new season with its biggest, richest

And This Little Piggy Squealed…

Roosters crow, cows moo and pigs squeal. To be more precise, proud roosters crow, contented cows moo and, contrary to popular folklore, scared pigs – not happy ones – squeal. In fact, the more scared the pig, the louder the squeal. This simple piece of farm knowledge was confirmed, again, in a Jan. 5 letter


DuPont Urges Curbs On Monsanto

DuPont has asked U. S. regulators to rein in practices by seed industry leader Monsanto Co., claiming its rival is hindering competition and limiting innovation needed to feed a growing world population. DuPont, which owns Pioneer Hi-Bred International, said Jan. 8 Monsanto is unfairly using monopoly powers to drive up prices and stymie competition. “Monsanto

Brewing Antitrust Fight In Seed

Key players in the U. S. seed industry are working to head off an antitrust probe into allegations of unfair competition even as farm groups ratchet up pressure on the government to take action against what they say are escalating prices and constriction of market choice. Fresh concerns about unfair market dominance were raised on