Washington, DC – In response to news of the U.S. Department of Justice’s approval of a Bayer-Monsanto merger, Denise O’Brien, Iowa farmer and Board Chair of Pesticide Action Network released the following statement:
Yet again, the Department of Justice has failed in its duty to enforce antitrust laws. Today’s green-lighting of the Monsanto-Bayer merger is just the most recent representation of the ever-growing consolidation of agricultural seed and chemical companies. We are down to just a few giants, who control too much of our food system. Farmers and consumers will need more protection than ever from the Farm Bill and from state laws. We must renew our commitment to stand with family farmers and others who are doing the real work to create a more just and healthy food system.
In a survey release last month, 93.7% of U.S. farmers surveyed were concerned about the merger, including control over prices, data and pressure for increasingly chemical dependent agriculture.
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Contact: Paul Towers, 916-216-1082, ptowers@panna.org