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Crops

U.S. trade commission sues pesticide makers, alleging price scheme

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Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued two top pesticide manufacturers for allegedly entering into exclusive contracts with distributors that kept prices paid by farmers artificially high. The consumer watchdog agency was motivated to bring the case in part because rising costs and supply chain disruptions from Russia’s invasion of […] Read more
(Romaset/iStock/Getty Images)
Crops, Machinery

U.S. FTC votes to make ‘right to repair’ a priority

Commission also drops 1995 merger policy

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Washington | Reuters — The U.S Federal Trade Commission voted Wednesday to make it a priority to address the issue of manufacturers pushing consumers to use licensed dealers to repair items ranging from smartphones to farm equipment, a practice that critics call anti-competitive. The five commissioners, three Democrats and two Republicans, voted unanimously to approve […] Read more
Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeff Simmons speaks during an interview at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Sept. 20, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
Livestock

Elanco Animal Health wins U.S. approval to buy Bayer unit

Elanco to shed cattle pour-on brand, others for approval

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Washington | Reuters — Elanco Animal Health has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy Bayer’s animal health business on condition that it sell assets to treat three ailments, two in dogs and one in cattle, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday. The deal was valued at $7.6 billion when it was announced in August […] Read more
(JMSmucker.com)
Crops

Smucker drops bid to buy Wesson Oil after U.S. objects

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Washington | Reuters — J.M. Smucker Co. said on Tuesday it will abandon its plan to acquire Conagra Brands’ Wesson Oil brand after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission had moved to block the deal arguing it would likely lessen competition and violate anti-trust law. Mark Smucker, CEO of J.M. Smucker, said “it is not in […] Read more
(Dave Bedard photo)
Crops

Continental Grain to push Bunge to consider potential sale

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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
(Staff photo)
Crops

PotashCorp, Agrium get last blessing for Jan. 1 wedding

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Two major Canadian players in the global fertilizer industry now have what they say is the final blessing they need to close their merger deal Jan. 1, on two already-met conditions. Saskatoon-based Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Calgary-based Agrium Inc. announced Wednesday they’ve received clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to close their […] Read more
A Whole Foods Market store in San Francisco. (WholeFoodsMarket.com)

U.S. FTC clears Amazon acquisition of Whole Foods

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Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday it has cleared Amazon.com’s planned US$13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market. The FTC said in a statement that it had reviewed whether the deal would substantially lessen competition or constituted an unfair method of competition and opted not to pursue its investigation […] Read more
(Corner-Store.ca)
Crops

U.S. clears Couche-Tard to buy CST, with conditions

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Washington | Reuters — Alimentation Couche-Tard has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy rival CST Brands on condition that it sell up to 71 stores in eight states, the Federal Trade Commission said on Monday. Alimentation Couche-Tard, a major Canada-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations, said in August that it would buy the […] Read more
(Syngenta.com)
Crops

ChemChina seeks U.S. antitrust approval for Syngenta deal

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Beijing | Reuters –– China National Chemical Corp., or ChemChina, said Friday it has sought the U.S. antitrust regulator’s approval for its planned US$43 billion acquisition of Swiss crop protection and seed group Syngenta. “We have filed an HSR Act with the FTC after good communications with the case team. We believe the U.S. anti-trust […] Read more
(Dave Bedard photo)
Crops

Monsanto shareholders back Bayer deal

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Chicago | Reuters –– Shareholders of U.S. seeds and agrochemicals company Monsanto approved the company’s US$66 billion acquisition by Bayer on Tuesday, a deal that still requires regulatory approval to close as expected in late 2017. Increased research and development spending by the combined companies and plans to develop a global seeds and biotechnology hub […] Read more

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