

President Trump sat down with Bayer CEO Werner Baumann and Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant at Trump Tower and had a “productive meeting” on “the future of the agriculture industry”1 and the pending merger between the two companies.2



Trump has heard from the CEOs. Now we need you to make your voice heard. Add your name and tell President Trump: NO to the dangerous Bayer-Monsanto merger!



Over the last few decades, a handful of agrichemical giants have acquired much of the world’s seed supply. Just five companies – Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Dow and Bayer – account for 62% of world seed sales.



This consolidation of seed control has already resulted in higher seed prices and declining choice of seed varieties, thousands of farmers sued for seed-saving, and sharply increased dependence on toxic pesticides – both weed-killing herbicides and insecticides.



The combination of Bayer and Monsanto would diminish competition in the increasingly intertwined markets for seeds and pesticides, reduce socially beneficial innovation, increase seed prices, and reduce seed choices for farmers (particularly non-GE and untreated seed options).



Not only is this the largest foreign corporate takeover ever by a German firm, as Reuters reported last year,3 it's the largest cash bid on record. A potential Bayer-Monsanto merger would put one foreign-owned megacorporation in charge of 29 percent of the global seed market and 25 percent of the global pesticide market. We can’t let this happen.



Giving a foreign-owned, Bayer-Monsanto mega-corporation unchecked power over what goes into our food supply is downright dangerous. Even Big Ag mega-donor Bruce Rastetter is against the deal, saying it would limit competition, raise costs for farmers and stunt job growth.4



We can’t let two billionaire CEO allies whisper in Trump’s ear without hearing from us, too.



Add your name and tell President Trump: the Bayer-Monsanto merger is bad news.



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1. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/01/monsanto-and-bayer-gets-audience-donald-promote-their-merger

2. http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/01/11/bayer-monsanto-ceos-meet-with-trump-argue-merger-would-create-u-s-jobs.html

3. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/01/monsanto-and-bayer-gets-audience-donald-promote-their-merger

4. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-m-a-bayer-deal-idUSKCN11K128