A cornfield in Mexico’s Chihuahua state. (Undefined undefined/iStock/Getty Images)

Mexico farm lobby blasts ban on GMO corn

Country's organic growers welcome ban

Monterrey, Mexico | Reuters — Mexico’s main agricultural lobby on Saturday criticized the government’s decision to ban genetically modified corn, while organic growers hailed the move that should protect smaller farmers. Mexico will “revoke and refrain from granting permits for the release of genetically modified corn seeds into the environment,” stated a decree issued Thursday […] Read more

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

Bayer takes major writedown, flags Roundup settlement bill

Company writes down agribusiness assets

Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer is facing a double hit from a higher legal bill for claims relating to weedkiller Roundup as well as 9.25 billion euros (C$14.2 billion) in impairments on agriculture businesses, much of it related to its Monsanto deal. The company said the write-downs, driven by weaker demand from farmers due to […] Read more


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U.S. EPA approves XtendiMax use for five years

Court ruling had blocked dicamba sales

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow farmers for the next five years to spray crops with a Bayer herbicide whose sales were blocked by a U.S. appeals court in June, EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said Tuesday. XtendiMax, a dicamba-based herbicide that is sprayed on soybeans and cotton genetically engineered to […] Read more



Jarrett Jackson is an agronomist and market development representative for Bayer Crop Science. Demonstration plots across Western Canada serve several purposes, he says, such as to showcase new Dekalb varieties or illustrate different agronomic treatments. Also, research plots are monitored and harvested to provide data that will be used to support registration of new varieties as well as the performance of new chemistries, fungicides and seed treatments.

New crop protection products and varieties from Bayer and Dekalb

Corn, soybean and canola varieties debuted as well as Buteo Start, Proline Gold and more

With the 2020 research and demonstration plot season wrapped up except for the final number crunching, Bayer Crop Science is planning to increase its product offering to western Canadian farmers in 2021 with several new corn, soybean and canola varieties, and potentially some effective new crop protection products now in the approval pipeline. Demonstration sites, […] Read more

Louise and Percy Schmeiser. (Mary Lou Schechtel photo courtesy Mongrel Media)

Farmer and activist Percy Schmeiser, 89

Thorn in Monsanto's side also the subject of a new major film

Funeral services are to be held and livestreamed Saturday for Prairie farmer, businessman and activist Percy Schmeiser, best known for his ultimately unsuccessful court battles with the company behind Roundup Ready canola. Schmeiser, who farmed at Bruno, Sask., about 90 km east of Saskatoon, died Tuesday at age 89. According to Saskatchewan media, he had […] Read more


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

Bayer plans more cost cuts, impairment charges

Pandemic now expected to hit crop science wing

Berlin | Reuters — German drugs and chemical company Bayer announced plans on Wednesday for more than 1.5 billion euros (C$2.34 billion) of cost cuts as of 2024 and said it would take impairment charges on its agricultural business as it battles with low commodity prices. Bayer said that the impact of the coronavirus on […] Read more

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Bayer resolves more U.S. Roundup cases

Judge keeps pause on litigation

Reuters — Attorneys for Bayer and U.S. consumers suing the company over allegations its Roundup herbicide caused cancer told a judge on Thursday they are continuing to resolve thousands more U.S. cases, improving prospects for its US$11 billion deal to end the litigation. The hearing was a contrast to the contentious tone among the parties […] Read more


(Bayer.com)

Bayer books second-quarter loss after settlement

Frankfurt | Reuters — German drugs and pesticides group Bayer reported a 9.5 billion-euro (C$14.86 billion) net loss for its second quarter, following a US$10.9 billion settlement of U.S. lawsuits claiming that its Roundup herbicide caused cancer. The charges stemmed mainly from agreements which attempted to wrap up legal disputes inherited with its US$63 billion […] Read more

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

Bayer launches carbon capture pilot for U.S., Brazilian farmers

Chem and seed firm expects to expand plan to other countries

Chicago | Reuters — Bayer launched a pilot program in the United States and Brazil on Tuesday that will pay farmers for capturing carbon in cropland soils, making it the latest agriculture company to capitalize on environmental initiatives. The company seeks to enroll about 1,200 row crop growers in its Bayer Carbon Initiative in the […] Read more