The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) urges members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee to include several key provisions important to the seed industry within the final bill. In a recent letter to conferees, ASTA highlighted the following priorities within the Conservation, Trade, Research, Horticulture and Crop Insurance titles: Conservation: ASTA is concerned with the proposal in the House version …
Bayer/Monsanto Merger Clears All Hurdles
It has taken months of divesting, negotiating and waiting, but Bayer and Monsanto will complete their merger. An agweb.com article notes German-based Bayer can now officially begin integrating Monsanto after Bayer divested itself of certain Crop Science businesses in a sale to BASF. The name Monsanto is expected to officially disappear in the future. However, familiar brand names like Dekalb, …
BASF Closes Acquisition of Bayer’s Vegetable Seeds Business
BASF announced this week it has closed the acquisition of Bayer’s global vegetable seeds business. The transaction, BASF says in a news release, “adds a well-recognized brand with a very successful business track record to BASF’s portfolio.” The acquired vegetable seeds business comprises 24 crops and about 2,600 varieties. It also includes a research and development operation, and breeding systems …
BASF Closes Acquisition of Businesses and Assets from Bayer
BASF has closed the acquisition of a range of businesses and assets from Bayer. The transaction, the company says, is a “strategic complement” to BASF’s crop protection, biotech and digital farming activities and marks its entry into seeds, non-selective herbicides and nematicide seed treatments. A spokesperson for BASF says the move “adds excellent assets” to the BASF portfolio. BASF signed …
ASTA Promotes Safe Handling and Storage of Treated Seed during Harvest
As harvest begins across the country, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) reminds farmers about the importance of taking precautions to ensure treated seed does not enter the grain supply. “Seed treatments provide farmers with an economical means of protecting seeds and seedlings against early-season insect pests and diseases—resulting in stronger and more uniform stands, healthier plants and higher crop …
Lawsuit Alleges Seed Company Intentionally Sold Subpar Products to Black Farmers
A group of Mid-South farmers claims Stine Seed Company purposefully switched seeds to sell black farmers a subpar product last year. The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association alleges a distributor switched out certified seed for lesser quality soybean seeds, and that despite above average rainfall, the farmers saw limited soybean yield from the seeds during the 2017 harvest. The seeds …
National FFA Organization and ASTA Sign Historic Memorandum of Understanding
The National FFA Organization and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding. The memorandum will align ASTA’s strategic goals and resources with the three-component model of agricultural education, providing teacher curriculum and resources; supervised agricultural experience support and mentors; and leadership and career development. “This Memorandum of Understanding helps stress the importance of the three-component …
Bayer Closes Monsanto Acquisition
It was announced in a release that Bayer had successfully completed the acquisition of Monsanto, but no branding changes will take place just yet. Monsanto will operate independently from Bayer for an interim period while Bayer completes the sale of some of its businesses to BASF. According to the conditional approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, the integration of Monsanto …
Canada Approves Bayer Acquisition of Monsanto, with Conditions
The Canadian Competition Bureau has officially approved Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto, with some conditions. The agreement addresses the Bureau’s concerns that the acquisition would have significantly harmed competition and innovation in Canada’s agricultural sector. Following a review of the sale, the Bureau concluded that the merger would substantially lessen and prevent competition in Canada with respect to the supply of …
U.S. Government to Spend $50 Million in Seed Quality
The U.S. is trailing China in federal ag research and seed-breeding investments. China has outspent the U.S. in those categories for the past ten years. To help combat the low spending, House Democrats Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Darren Soto of Florida introduced the Seeds for the Future Act earlier this year. A Farm Journal report quotes a release from …