Basel | Reuters — China made its boldest overseas takeover move when state-owned ChemChina agreed a US$43 billion bid for Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta on Wednesday, aiming to improve domestic food production. The largest ever foreign purchase by a Chinese firm, announced by both companies, will accelerate a shake-up in global agrochemicals and […] Read more
China seeks food security with friendly bid for Syngenta
ChemChina said close to striking deal for Syngenta
Reuters — China’s state-owned ChemChina is nearing a deal to buy Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta for around 43 billion Swiss francs (C$59.4 billion), two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The deal, for roughly 470 Swiss francs (C$649) per share, would be the biggest cross-border deal involving a Chinese buyer and […] Read more
Syngenta still looking at different tie-ups
Zug | Reuters — Syngenta is in talks about a possible merger and is weighing a number of options, the Swiss agrichemicals group’s chairman said Wednesday. Michel Demare said last month that the crop chemicals and seeds company was in talks with China’s state-owned ChemChina, U.S. seeds giant Monsanto and others. When asked about the […] Read more
Chinese farmers illegally growing GMO corn, Greenpeace says
Beijing | Reuters — Farmers are illegally growing genetically modified (GMO) corn in China’s northeast, said environmental non-profit Greenpeace on Wednesday, in a report that may generate further distrust of the government’s ability to ensure a safe food supply. Beijing has spent billions of dollars to develop GMO crops that it hopes will ensure food […] Read more
Monsanto increases job cuts as corn, chemical sales slump
Reuters — Monsanto said a souring farm economy and currency woes will push its 2016 earnings to the lower end of expectations, while a cost-cutting drive will lead the world’s largest seed company to slash more jobs. Low commodity prices also should lead to more consolidation in the agricultural sector, CEO Hugh Grant said, about […] Read more
Syngenta said talking to Monsanto, ChemChina, others
Zurich | Reuters — Swiss agrichemicals group Syngenta is in talks with Monsanto, ChemChina and other rivals but has not received a concrete takeover offer and is keeping all options open, chairman Michel Demare told a Swiss newspaper. “Given what shareholders expect for the next 12 months, going it alone is hardly possible,” he told […] Read more
ChemChina to sweeten bid for Syngenta to $44B
Reuters — State-owned China National Chemical Corp. has raised its offer to buy Syngenta by about $2 billion, to US$44 billion, proposing a two-stage takeover of the agrochemical company, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. ChemChina has offered 470 Swiss francs (C$661) per share to buy 70 per cent of Syngenta with an option to acquire the […] Read more
Dow, DuPont to merge in deal to create chem giant
Reuters — Chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical agreed to merge in an all-stock deal valuing the combined company at US$130 billion in a win for activist investors that could spark further consolidation in the farm chemicals industry. The deal to combine two of the biggest and oldest U.S. chemical producers is a prelude to […] Read more
USDA regulators approve new Syngenta corn trait
Chicago | Reuters — Syngenta on Wednesday cleared one U.S. regulatory hurdle toward domestic marketing of corn seeds containing a trait that is genetically engineered to resist weed killers including glyphosate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it will no longer regulate the Syngenta Seeds corn trait known […] Read more
Safety training for farm students
Reading Time: < 1 minute Syngenta Canada is partnering with Agriculture for Life to bring the Young Farm Workers Safety Day programming to Alberta youth. Safety Day targets students in Grades 9 to 12 with interactive sessions on the risks associated with rural and farm environments. It includes practical, hands-on learning on a variety of safety topics such as risk […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
