(Dave Bedard photo)

Continental Grain to push Bunge to consider potential sale

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. agricultural investor Continental Grain plans to push Bunge to consider a potential sale, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday, after Archer Daniels Midland approached Bunge about a takeover. It was unclear how Continental Grain would pressure Bunge, one of the world’s top agricultural merchants. But the company, […] Read more

(ADM.com)

ADM, Syngenta settle suit over biotech corn exports

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain merchant Archer Daniels Midland has settled a lawsuit with Syngenta over the seed company’s launch of a biotech corn strain that roiled grain exports to China, according to regulatory documents filed on Friday. ADM sued Syngenta four years ago for selling the corn variety known as Agrisure Viptera or […] Read more


(ADM photo by Dave Bedard, Bunge photo via Bunge)

ADM in talks to buy Bunge as early as this week

Reuters — Top U.S. grains merchant Archer Daniels Midland could reach an agreement to buy smaller rival Bunge as early as this week, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The potential deal comes as large grain traders that make money by buying, selling, storing and shipping commodity crops have struggled […] Read more

(ADM.com)

ADM approach to Bunge a potential U-turn on oilseed strategy

Chicago | Reuters –– Archer Daniels Midland’s proposed takeover of Bunge could signal a change in the company’s strategy on oilseeds, giving the top U.S. grain merchant a much bigger capacity to crush soy just months after ADM’s CEO said the firm would cut spending on the sector. The potential strategic change comes as the […] Read more


(ADM photo by Dave Bedard, Bunge photo via Bunge)

ADM reported making takeover approach to Bunge

Reuters — Top U.S. grains merchant Archer Daniels Midland has proposed a takeover of Bunge Ltd., the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, a move that could set up a battle for Bunge with London-based rival Glencore. Large grain traders which make money by buying, selling, storing, shipping and trading crops have struggled in recent […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Rush on to reverse U.S. tax boon for ag co-ops

Chicago | Reuters — Republican U.S. senators are working with some of the world’s biggest agricultural merchants to undo a last-minute provision in the tax overhaul that threatens to distort the grains market and starve private firms of corn, soy and wheat supplies. It was included during final revisions of the tax bill that passed […] Read more

CHS Inc., the biggest farm co-operative in the U.S., is seen gaining a competitive edge against private and publicly-traded grain firms from changes to tax law affecting sales of U.S. farmers’ crops and livestock. (CHS Inc. photo)

Major U.S. grain firms fear harm from new tax law

Chicago | Reuters — The new U.S. tax law is poised to drive more control over the nation’s grain supply to farmer-owned co-operatives, provoking concern among ethanol producers and privately run grain handlers that they could be squeezed out of the competition to buy crops. Until now, the co-operatives, private companies and publicly traded firms […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill profit falls as grain glut limits trading

Chicago | Reuters – Cargill Inc reported a 6 percent drop in quarterly profits on Wednesday as a global glut of grains limited trading opportunities for the food-commodities merchant. Four years of bumper grain and oilseeds harvests have squeezed profits for Cargill and main rivals Archer Daniels Midland Co, Bunge Ltd and Louis Dreyfus Corp […] Read more

Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

ADM, Cargill still pursue Syngenta over corn rejections

Chicago | Reuters — Syngenta moved closer to putting a troubled biotech corn seed launch behind it with a US$1.5 billion settlement with farmers this week, but grain traders who filed two remaining lawsuits may be less ready to compromise, legal experts said. The company was sued three years ago by the farmers and traders […] Read more