US (IA): Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearing on mega ag mergers
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he is calling the hearing because some producers have expressed a "great deal of concern” about the mergers. It is still being determined who will testify in late September. Consumers, companies affected by the mergers and antitrust experts are among those expected to appear.
“Because of the importance of the seed and chemical industries to agriculture and the nation’s economy, the Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to hold a hearing in late September,” Grassley told reporters. “The hearing will focus on the transactions currently being reviewed by antitrust regulations and the current trend in consolidation in the seed and chemical industries.”
Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, is being courted by Bayer AG. In addition, ChemChina and Syngenta — along with DuPont, parent of DuPont Pioneer, in Johnston, and Dow Chemical — are in the midst of their own deals.
Read more at The Des Moines Register