Wheat sales are expected to soon resume to Japan and South Korea. Both nations suspended Canadian wheat imports following the June 15 announcement that Canada had discovered several genetically modified (GM) wheat plants in southern Alberta. But both are expected to come back to the market shortly, while exports to others won’t be affected, according […] Read more

Wheat shipment halt seen as temporary

South Korea halts sale of Canadian wheat, flour
Seoul | Reuters — South Korea has suspended the sale of wheat and flour from Canada after Canadian officials announced last week the discovery in mid-2017 of an unapproved genetically modified trait in southern Alberta. “We will only allow sale of wheat products that are confirmed not to contain unapproved genetically modified wheat,” South Korea’s […] Read more

Japan suspends sale of Canadian wheat
Tokyo/Winnipeg | Reuters — Japan’s farm ministry said Friday it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a genetically modified trait was discovered last summer in Alberta. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday the wheat containing a genetically modified trait, developed by Monsanto to tolerate Roundup herbicide, […] Read more

With deal to close this week, Bayer to retire Monsanto name
Frankfurt | Reuters — Germany’s Bayer will wrap up the US$63 billion takeover of Monsanto on Thursday and also retire the U.S. seed and chemical firm’s 117-year-old name. The German drugmaker had received all required approvals from regulatory authorities, it said in a statement on Monday. “Bayer will remain the company name. Monsanto will no […] Read more

Bayer wins U.S. nod for Monsanto deal to create ag giant
Frankfurt/Washington | Reuters — Bayer won U.S. approval for its planned takeover of Monsanto after agreeing to sell about US$9 billion in assets, clearing a major hurdle for the US$62.5 billion deal that will create by far the largest seeds and pesticides maker. Makan Delrahim, who heads the U.S. Justice Department’s (DoJ) antitrust division, said […] Read more

Bayer cuts Monsanto synergy target on divestments
Bonn | Reuters — Bayer said positive synergy effects from the planned takeover of U.S. seeds and chemical firm Monsanto would be about US$300 million below its previous target because it will sell more businesses than initially expected to get antitrust approval. Bayer CEO Werner Baumann again threw his weight behind the deal, despite higher […] Read more

Extended-tolerance canola now on deck for 2019
Giving growers a wider window to spray in-crop weeds with glyphosate, the new platform for Monsanto’s future canola trait stacks is now booked to make its way into the Canadian market next year. The U.S. seed and chemical company’s Canadian arm announced last week it plans to commercialize TruFlex canola in 2019, following plot trials […] Read more

BASF set to pick up Bayer’s Poncho, ILeVO treatments
Bayer’s seed treatments Poncho and ILeVO could soon have a new owner, as part of another deal with fellow German chemical firm BASF. BASF, which last October agreed to buy several Bayer CropScience assets including its global glufosinate-ammonium herbicide business and LibertyLink trait, announced another 1.7 billion-euro (C$2.65 billion) deal Thursday for an additional package […] Read more

Monsanto product to deactivate dicamba residue in sprayer tanks
Chicago | Reuters — Monsanto is launching the first product that deactivates a controversial herbicide inside spraying equipment after it is used, the company said on Tuesday, its latest attempt to prevent unintended crop damage associated with dicamba. The new product aims to stop farmers from accidentally applying traces of dicamba on crops that cannot […] Read more
Deadline approaching for $1,500 scholarships
Application deadline is May 31
Reading Time: < 1 minute Grade 12 students heading off to college or university this fall to study agriculture or a food-related field are eligible to receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Program. The program will award 65 scholarships to eligible students. Most will go to young people from farm families, but up to 25 scholarships […] Read more