(BASF.com)

Monsanto reported exploring BASF ag unit buy

Reuters — Seed company Monsanto, which rejected Bayer’s buyout offer in May, is exploring various transactions, including the acquisition of BASF’s agriculture-solutions unit, news service Bloomberg reported. In return, BASF would likely receive newly issued shares in Monsanto, Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the matter. The discussions are at an early stage, and no […] Read more

(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 […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

Bayer offers to buy Monsanto in global ag chem shakeout

Reuters — German drugs and chemicals group Bayer AG made an unsolicited takeover offer for U.S. seeds company Monsanto, aiming to create the world’s biggest agricultural supplier and integrate pesticides and seeds markets. Monsanto disclosed the approach on Wednesday before Bayer confirmed its move, though neither gave the proposed terms. Sources said Bayer would pay […] Read more

(Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

France set to ban dimethoate-treated cherries

Paris | Reuters — France will stop importing cherries from countries that use insecticide dimethoate after banning the chemical due to concerns over consumer health risks, the French agriculture ministry said. At a meeting of European Union country representatives on Friday, Italy and Spain said they would also withdraw dimethoate from their markets, but France […] Read more

(BASF.com)

BASF to cut half the jobs in plant biotech unit

Leverkusen, Germany | Reuters –– BASF, the world’s largest chemicals group by sales, will cut half of the 700 jobs at its plant biotechnology business, slashing some early development projects in yield improvement and stress tolerance and all of its rice yield and corn fungal resistance projects. BASF’s plant biotechnology unit is developing improved plant […] Read more


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

Dow, DuPont to merge in deal to create chem giant

Reuters — Chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical agreed to merge in an all-stock deal valuing the combined company at US$130 billion in a win for activist investors that could spark further consolidation in the farm chemicals industry. The deal to combine two of the biggest and oldest U.S. chemical producers is a prelude to […] Read more

(MonsantoStore.corpmerchandise.com)

Monsanto, rivals eye next step after Syngenta deal collapse

Chicago | Reuters –– Monsanto, having ditched an audacious US$46 billion offer for Syngenta, may downshift to a humbler strategy of beefing up its crop protection portfolio through other acquisitions, partnerships and licensing agreements. The deal’s collapse leaves Monsanto, Syngenta and other agrochemical sector companies facing a bleak landscape of plummeting grain prices and farm […] Read more

(Photo courtesy BASF SE)

Sources say BASF mulling potential bid for Syngenta

Reuters — German chemicals group BASF is considering a potential offer for Syngenta, its Swiss rival which has received a C$56 billion takeover offer from Monsanto, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. BASF is speaking to investment bankers about the possibility of an offer for Syngenta, though it has made no decision and […] Read more


(Syngenta.com)

Monsanto’s Syngenta gambit seen hinging on sale of seed businesses

London/Frankfurt | Reuters –– U.S. seeds giant Monsanto is trying to line up buyers for assets worth up to US$8 billion to appease competition authorities before making a fresh takeover approach for Swiss rival Syngenta, possibly within three weeks, industry sources said. Monsanto is expected to tap German chemicals group BASF, an existing joint venture […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

New chemistry launched as fruit mite control

The first member of the benzoylacetonitrile group of crop insecticides (Group 25) to come to market in North America will be a mite control for fruit crops. BASF Canada announced Tuesday it has picked up registration for Nealta, a 200-gram-per-litre suspension concentrate of cyflumetofen, billed as a control for all life stages of tetranychid mites […] Read more