requiem for Monsanto

Image borrowed from here.

Bayer to bury Monsanto brand after takeover

And then what? Will it once a year rise up to haunt us at Hallowe'en?

From RT:

• Monsanto has a longstanding notorious reputation dating back to its production of Agent Orange, a herbicide and defoliant chemical used by the US military during the Vietnam War.
• California recently added glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup, to a list of cancer-causing chemicals. The state acted after the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) ruled glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015. IARC said that along with other Monsanto chemicals Roundup could cause Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and cancer. Monsanto has rejected all allegations and scientific findings of carcinogenicity of the chemical.

I liked Bayer when it was famous for Aspirin - 60 years ago. Aspirin good; Roundup not so much.

Business Insider:

• ..farmers are worried about what the consolidation might mean for prices and their future business.

Just worried about their cash flow? Maybe they don't let their families eat what they grow?

Not to worry. In the world of mega-corps, you buy up some, you sell off some, and protesters won't have Monsanto to kick around anymore. In fact, they may not be sure whom to kick at all.

It's strange, some of the terms used to describe the sell-off:

TheHustle headline: The US makes Bayer sell the farm in biggest antitrust sell-off ever

Brilliant.  Meanwhile, a number of people have literally bought the farm despite Monsanto denying any responsibility.

More from the Hustle:

• ... Bayer also agreed to sell off “certain IP and research capabilities, including ‘pipeline’ R&D projects,” ... The crop isn’t ready for pickin’ just yet
• ...still awaiting approval from Canada and Mexico, and has until mid-June to close its purchase. After that, Monsanto can ask for a higher price or pull out altogether.
• But, Bayer doesn’t seem worried. They expect to receive the remaining merger approvals “very shortly” and believe they can divest themselves of the assets named in the settlement in about 2 months.

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Below Image borrowed from here.