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.

(Combyne Ag video screengrab via YouTube)

Bayer’s crop marketing, crop production platforms in sync

FieldView, Combyne platforms now integrated

Combyne, the made-in-Canada grain marketing platform Bayer bought earlier this year, is now fully on speaking terms with the company’s Climate FieldView precision ag platform. Bayer on Oct. 30 announced integration of the two platforms, which it said will allow grain farmers in Canada and the U.S. to connect their marketing data in Combyne and […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Appeals court blocks California warning labels for glyphosate

Decision important in ongoing lawsuits, Bayer says

Reuters — A divided U.S. federal appeals court on Tuesday said California cannot require businesses to warn consumers about the potential dangers of glyphosate, an ingredient in Roundup herbicide that has been linked to cancer. Upholding a permanent injunction, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco found it unconstitutional to force Bayer’s […] Read more

The Bayer AG logo at the headquarters in France.  Photo: Reuters/Benoit Tessier/File

Bayer slashes outlook as glyphosate demand weakens further

Analysts say dry weather conditions hurt farmers' demand for seeds and pesticides

Reuters – Further deterioration in demand for glyphosate-based weed killers led Bayer BAYGn.DE to cut its full-year earnings outlook and announce a 2.5 billion euro ($2.8 billion USD) write-down on glyphosate-related assets. In an unscheduled statement late on Monday, the German drugs and pesticides maker said it was projecting 2023 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Bayer settles with New York over Roundup safety claims

Company blocked from advertising product as non-toxic

New York | Reuters — Bayer agreed on Thursday to pay US$6.9 million to settle claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James that it misled consumers by advertising Roundup, which has been linked to cancer, as environmentally safe. The settlement resolves accusations that Bayer and its Monsanto unit failed to substantiate their repeated claims […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

Bayer under investor pressure to speed up CEO changeover

Drug and chem firm's stock in 'crisis of trust,' investor says

Frankfurt | Reuters — A top-10 shareholder in Bayer on Tuesday called on the group’s supervisory board to replace CEO Werner Baumann quickly, adding to investor pressure to restore trust and revive the German drugmaker’s sagging share price. Despite recent improvements in the company’s agriculture business and drug development prospects, Bayer shares have been weighed […] Read more


Bayer’s cross symbol hangs in a terminal at Frankfurt International Airport. (Typhoonski/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

Activist investor reported building stake in Bayer, seeking breakup

Bayer up for 'constructive dialogue'

Reuters — Activist investor Bluebell Capital Partners has built a stake in Bayer AG and is pushing for a breakup of the German pharmaceutical and agriculture company, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing sources. U.K.-based Bluebell is also seeking an overhaul of Bayer’s corporate governance, the report added. A Bayer spokesperson, who declined to comment on […] Read more

(Bayer.com)

Bayer’s agriculture unit, consumer health drive outlook hike

Frankfurt | Reuters – Agriculture and pharmaceuticals company Bayer BAYGn.DE on Thursday lifted its 2022 earnings guidance on strong demand from farmers for its seeds and crop chemicals and higher sales of consumer health products. Bayer is now targeting earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), adjusted for special items, of about 13 billion […] Read more