BASF’s dicamba production facility in Beaumont, Tex. (BASF.com)

Monsanto loses bid to stop Arkansas’ dicamba ban

Chicago | Reuters — An Arkansas judge on Friday dismissed a Monsanto lawsuit aiming to stop Arkansas from blocking the use of a herbicide the company makes, dealing a blow to its attempts to increase sales of genetically engineered seeds. Monsanto, which is being acquired by Bayer, filed the lawsuit last year in a bid […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

Bayer petitions Russian antitrust watchdog for more time in Monsanto case

Frankfurt/Moscow | Reuters — Bayer has taken Russia’s competition regulator to court over the watchdog’s investigation into the company’s planned takeover of Monsanto, a further hiccup in the US$64 billion deal amid intense antitrust scrutiny. A Bayer spokesman said the German company was petitioning the court in Russia to be given more time to discuss […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Brazilian antitrust agency approves Bayer-Monsanto tie-up

Brasilia | Reuters — Brazilian antitrust agency Cade on Wednesday approved Bayer’s proposed takeover of U.S. seeds company Monsanto without requiring further asset sales beyond a global proposal announced last October. Cade’s commissioners voted 4-2 in favour of the tie-up under an agreement, negotiated between the companies and global antitrust agencies, that included the sale […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

Bayer offers asset sales for EU approval of Monsanto deal

Brussels/Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer has offered to sell seeds and pesticides businesses to try to address EU competition concerns over its US$63.5 billion bid for U.S. rival Monsanto. The proposed remedies “are very significant and we are confident they fully address the European Commission’s concerns,” the German company said in a statement on Monday. […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

EU review of Bayer’s Monsanto bid postponed further

Frankfurt/Brussels | Reuters — Bayer’s quest to win regulatory approval for its planned takeover of Monsanto ran into further delays on Monday as European Union antitrust investigators extended their investigation by five working days until March 12. The ongoing proceedings would have given the German drugs and pesticides maker until midnight on Monday to offer […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

France says will not ban glyphosate when no alternative

Saint-Genes-Champanelle, France | Reuters — France will not force farmers to stop using glyphosate after a ban planned within three years, in cases where an alternative has not been found, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. He added that this would likely concern 10 per cent of farms while solutions could be found for the […] Read more

(Arkansas.gov)

Arkansas restricts dicamba for 2018

Chicago | Reuters — In a blow to manufacturers Monsanto and BASF, Arkansas state lawmakers voted on Friday to bar sprayings of a controversial weed killer after mid-April to protect farmers from potential crop damage. Arkansas will prohibit the use of herbicides based on dicamba from April 16 to Oct. 31, the strictest state limits […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Monsanto profit misses estimates as farmers face squeeze

Reuters – Monsanto Co reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday and said low crop prices hurting farmers’ incomes would limit the company’s ability to profit from sales of its genetically engineered seeds and agricultural chemicals. The outlook makes the world’s biggest seed company the latest agribusiness to detail ongoing pressures from large crop inventories that […] Read more


BASF’s dicamba production facility in Beaumont, Tex. (BASF.com)

Minnesota joins U.S. states limiting dicamba

Chicago | Reuters — Minnesota became the latest U.S. state on Tuesday to restrict controversial weed killers made by Monsanto and BASF that were linked to widespread crop damage, while Arkansas took a step back from imposing new limits. The U.S. has faced an agricultural crisis this year caused by new versions of the herbicides, […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

EU regulators reported as set to warn Bayer on Monsanto bid

Brussels | Reuters — EU antitrust regulators are set to warn Bayer its planned purchase of U.S. seed maker Monsanto may hurt competition, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, a move that would force Bayer to offer concessions to address the concerns. The US$66 billion deal would make Bayer the world’s largest […] Read more