Bayer-Monsanto and the Concerned Organizations

The Bayer-Monsanto deal has many people worried worldwide. Over 780,000 signatures were submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice in order to warn elected officials about the threat that this company merger could pose to worldwide agriculture. The world’s pesticides are already in the hands of only six companies. What association and environmental groups are most concerned about is the predominant position that Bayer will have with the acquisition of Monsanto. "The continuing consolidation of seed and pesticide companies essentially creates a monopoly of toxicity that is in control of the world’s seed market and food supply”, as Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of Center for Food Safety, is quoted as saying by Common Dreams.

NGOs explain, that the new merger of big companies like Monsanto or Bayer would slow down innovations, hinder the diversity of seeds and therefore leave farmers with fewer options and higher costs. All these consequences would impact small farmers the most. Common Dreams quotes, Food & Water Watch Executive Director, Wenonah Hauter: “The shocking consolidation in the biotech seed and agrochemical industry turns our food system over to a cabal of chemical companies, undermining family farmers and consumers. We urge federal regulators to block these pending mergers to prevent further corporate control of our food system”.

Environmental groups, like Friend of the Earth , an international network of environmental organizations in 74 countries, warn also about the danger the new Bayer-Monsanto merger could have not only on farming and agriculture, but also on the global environment. Because the spread of some pesticides would increase drastically, the fallouts would also be apparent for the population that lives and works outside of the agricultural business.