DuPont’s headquarters in Delaware. (DuPont.com)

DuPont says Dow merger may get delayed

Reuters — DuPont raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast as it cuts costs ahead of its merger with Dow Chemical, but said the deal may not close by the end of this year as planned. Shares of DuPont, which reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on lower expenses and higher sales volumes, were marginally lower at

Comment: Closing the barn door after the fact

Sudden concern about mergers on the part of politicians is too little, too late

One of the oldest truisms agriculture offers is the simple, rock-solid advice that the time to close the barn door is before the cows get out. Closing the door afterwards, as everyone knows, is pointless because the cows are already long gone. Everyone, except of course, the U.S. Congress which, on Sept. 20, hosted a


(Dow.com)

Agricultural merger mania fuels fears among small seed sellers

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Justice Department is looking into concerns that global consolidation among major seed and agricultural chemical companies may squeeze supplies of the building blocks for widely used genetically modified seeds, a farm group told Reuters. The department has asked the American Soybean Association for details about how small and independent

(CropScience.Bayer.ca)

U.S. lawmakers skeptical of ag chemical, seed merger wave

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


DuPont’s headquarters in Delaware. (DuPont.com)

EU regulators halt Dow, DuPont merger review to gather data

Brussels | Reuters — European Union antitrust regulators have halted their scrutiny of Dow Chemical and DuPont’s proposed merger while the companies provide more information regarding their US$130 billion deal. The European Commission opened a full investigation into the case in August, concerned that the deal to create the world’s largest integrated crop protection and



(Dow.com)

EU regulators to investigate Dow, DuPont merger

Brussels | Reuters –– EU antitrust regulators have opened a full investigation into Dow Chemical and DuPont’s proposed US$130 billion merger, saying the deal may reduce competition in crop protection, seeds and some petrochemicals. The European Commission said the deal, which would create the world’s largest integrated crop protection and seeds company, may also hurt

DuPont’s headquarters in Delaware. (DuPont.com)

Monsanto, DuPont sign supply deal for dicamba

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. seed and agrochemical companies Monsanto and DuPont said on Thursday they have signed a multi-year supply agreement for the weed killer dicamba in the U.S. and Canada. Under the deal, whose terms were not disclosed, Monsanto will supply its farm seeds and chemicals rival with the herbicide, which will be


(Dave Bedard photo)

Monsanto in talks with Bayer, others about ‘strategic options’

Chicago | Reuters — Monsanto is in talks with Bayer and other companies regarding “alternative strategic options,” a month after it rejected the German company’s US$62 billion takeover offer, the U.S. seed producer said on Wednesday. Monsanto’s options include combinations with other companies and businesses in the sector beyond Bayer. Potential deals could involve BASF

(BASF.com)

BASF says not backed into corner by Bayer’s Monsanto swoop

Ludwigshafen, Germany | Reuters — BASF, which has so far kept out of a consolidation push among global seeds and pesticides groups, said its business model was not affected by rival Bayer’s plans to buy Monsanto. “We are not backed into a corner by what is happening in the market,” the group’s deputy chief executive