Kochia in a canola field.  Photo: File

Crop-killing weeds advance across US farmland as chemicals lose effectiveness

Losing battle with weeds adds pressures to farmers already stressed by inflation, extreme weather

Crop-killing weeds such as kochia are advancing across the U.S. northern plains and Midwest, in the latest sign that weeds are developing resistance to chemicals faster than companies including Bayer BAYGn.DE and Corteva CTVA.N can develop new ones to fight them.



(FMC Corp. video screengrab via YouTube)

Ag input firm FMC’s shares tumble after lowering financial targets

Partners 'rapidly reduced inventory levels'

Reuters — Shares of FMC Corp. fell more than eight per cent on Monday after the agricultural products supplier cut its outlook for the year on volume declines in most of its major markets. “Towards the end of May, we experienced unforeseen and unprecedented volume declines in three out of our four operating regions, as […] Read more

(Jevtic/iStock/Getty Images)

Report links business management, mental health of farmers

Farm women, young farmers report higher levels of stress, difficulties coping

Ottawa — A new report from Farm Management Canada (FMC) calls for action after determining 75 per cent of Canadian farmers reported being moderately to highly stressed about unpredictable interference, workload pressure and financial pressures. But how a farmer plans his or her business — and associated risks — can help lower that statistic. The […] Read more



DuPont’s Canadian head office in Mississauga. (Dupont.com)

Dow, DuPont to shed Canadian assets for merger approval

Competition for the Prairie farmer’s crop protection dollar will survive following the planned merger of chemical giants Dow and DuPont, by way of a handful of asset sales, Canada’s Competition Bureau has ruled. The federal antitrust watchdog on Tuesday announced it has an agreement with DuPont and Dow Chemical to head off what would otherwise […] Read more


(Dow.com)

Dow, DuPont merger wins U.S. antitrust approval

Reuters — DuPont and Dow Chemical have won U.S. antitrust approval to merge on condition that the companies sell certain crop protection products and other assets, according to a court filing on Thursday. The asset sales required by U.S. antitrust enforcers were similar to what the companies had agreed to give up in a deal […] Read more

(CaseIH.com)

Crop chemical maker FMC aims for growth after DuPont deal

Reuters — Pesticide seller FMC Corp. will aim for its industry’s fastest revenue growth with the help of assets acquired from rival DuPont, even as farm markets struggle to recover, CEO Pierre Brondeau said on Monday. Philadelphia-based FMC will focus on increasing sales of crop chemicals developed internally, and avoid big acquisitions for a few […] Read more


(BASF.com)

BASF still out for ag chem deals

Frankfurt | Reuters –– German chemicals giant BASF said it would continue to push for acquisitions to shore up its crop protection business, after the antitrust-related sale of assets from the merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont left it empty-handed. “We are generally interested in strengthening our business further, acquisitions are part of that, that […] Read more