(BASF.com)

BASF to cut half the jobs in plant biotech unit

Leverkusen, Germany | Reuters –– BASF, the world’s largest chemicals group by sales, will cut half of the 700 jobs at its plant biotechnology business, slashing some early development projects in yield improvement and stress tolerance and all of its rice yield and corn fungal resistance projects. BASF’s plant biotechnology unit is developing improved plant […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Monsanto to pay U.S. SEC settlement over Roundup earnings

Washington | Reuters — Monsanto will pay US$80 million to settle civil accounting violations after it allegedly misstated its earnings in connection with its top-selling Roundup product, U.S. securities regulators said Tuesday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also said three accounting and sales executives have agreed to settle charges in connection with the […] Read more


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

China clears Xtend soybean variety for import

Reuters — Monsanto said on Feb. 3 it received import approval from China for its new genetically modified Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and will sell the seeds in the U.S. and Canada for the 2016 growing season. China, the world’s biggest soybean importer, does not allow imports of new genetically modified crops until they […] Read more

Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

China seeks food security with friendly bid for Syngenta

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


(Syngenta.com)

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

(Dave Bedard photo)

EU food safety watchdog hits back in glyphosate safety row

Brussels | Reuters –– The head of Europe’s food safety watchdog has written to a group of nearly 100 senior scientists strongly rejecting their criticisms in a row about the safety of glyphosate. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which advises European Union policymakers, issued an opinion in November that glyphosate is unlikely to cause […] Read more





(Syngenta.com)

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

(Syngenta.com)

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