Reuters — The Canadian Competition Bureau said on Thursday it was investigating certain agriculture companies for alleged anticompetitive practices over allegations of trying to block an online farm-supply startup from doing business in Western Canada. The regulator did not provide details on specific companies involved in the probe, but documents filed on Jan. 30 in […] Read more

Competition Bureau probing big ag chem companies
Probe to look at firms' response to FBN's arrival in Canada

Bayer considers new tactic in Roundup settlement talks
Reuters — As Bayer tries to settle U.S. lawsuits claiming that its Roundup herbicide causes cancer, the company is considering a proposal that would bar plaintiffs’ lawyers involved in the litigation from advertising for new clients, according to a person familiar with the matter. Bayer has said it is engaged in mediation to resolve the […] Read more

Corteva to accelerate Enlist E3 soybean rollout
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. seed and crop chemical maker Corteva said Thursday it will accelerate production of its next-generation biotech soybean seeds and complementary herbicides in Canada and the U.S. over the next five years. The move heightens the competition for sales to farmers with rivals Bayer and BASF. Up to 20 per cent […] Read more

Roundup cancer trial postponed to continue settlement talks
Reuters — Bayer AG said on Friday it has reached an agreement with plaintiffs’ lawyers to postpone a Missouri jury trial over allegations its herbicide Roundup causes cancer, to provide room for negotiations to settle the litigation. “While Bayer is constructively engaged in the mediation process, there is no comprehensive agreement at this time. There […] Read more

DeKalb pulls two ‘inconsistent’ canolas off market
Up against an “inconsistency of grower experiences” with the seeds’ yields in 2019, Bayer Canada is yanking two of its DeKalb TruFlex canola hybrids from the market. DeKalb’s DKTF 92 SC and DKTF 94 CR will not be available for 2020, Bayer said. Canola growers who have already booked those seeds for this spring are […] Read more
Bayer scholarships awarded to 13 Albertans
Reading Time: < 1 minute Thirteen Alberta students have been awarded $1,500 scholarships from the Bayer Fund through its Opportunity Scholarship Program. In all, 67 Canadian students pursuing post-secondary education in agriculture and food-related disciplines received scholarships based on their academic achievements and leadership in their schools and communities. Applicants had to be nominated by a farmer or food professional, […] Read more

EU to ban Bayer’s Calypso insecticide
Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments on Tuesday widened the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s thiacloprid. Farmers will not be allowed to use the neonic insecticide, sold under the brands Calypso and Biscaya, after April 30, 2020, when its current approval expires. A majority of […] Read more

Big Ag wants a cut of booming fake-meat market
Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — Bunge, one the world’s biggest grain traders, recently disclosed the 1.6 per cent stake it had purchased in the fast-growing fake-meat startup Beyond Meat. The play looked smart after the stock surged more than 250 per cent since the faux burger and sausage maker’s initial public offering in May. Indeed, Beyond […] Read more

Elanco to become No. 2 in animal health with Bayer deal
Reuters — Elanco Animal Health agreed to buy Bayer’s veterinary drugs unit on Tuesday in a cash and stock deal valued at US$7.6 billion (C$10 billion), creating the second largest maker of medicines for livestock and pets and expanding Elanco’s reach online. The deal is the latest in the fast-growing animal health market, which has […] Read more

Bayer mediator dismisses report of Roundup settlement
New York/Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer AG has not offered to pay billions of dollars to settle claims in the United States related to the Roundup herbicide, mediator Ken Feinberg said, dismissing a report to that effect which drove its shares as much as 11 per cent higher. “Bayer has not proposed paying $8 billion […] Read more