Same service, same products.

At least for the near term.

Brett Begemann

That was the message reiterated by Brett Begemann, Bayer CEO of crop science commercial operations, at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Aug. 29 during a press conference held to discuss the merger of Bayer and Monsanto. Bayer and Monsanto officials announced the deal, which originally was valued at $66 billion, in 2016. Since then, the companies had to meet specific requirements set by the European Union and U.S. Department of Justice before the merger would be approved, such as selling competing businesses. For example, DOJ required Bayer to sell its seed and herbicide businesses, which it did to BASF.

“The brands that are out there are out there … choices aren’t going away,” Begemann said. “For 2019, [the business products and services] will look like last year. Farmers will call the same person in the same locations.” He had made similar comments at previous meetings.

By 2020, there might be some changes, he said, but the intent is to never get rid of brands.

However, the Monsanto name has since been dropped.

Begemann noted that Bayer’s crop protection and seeds and trait products, and its digital farming platform, would help drive innovation in agriculture.

“There is no more pressing issue than [feeding] 9.5 billion people by 2050 on the same footprint of land and the same amount of water,” he said.

Begemann also alluded to the benefits of one of Monsanto’s businesses that came with the merger —Climate FieldView, a digital ag platform that combines field and weather data to assist farmers with agronomic decisions. Around 50,000 farmers participate in this program, he noted.

“Digital farming platforms will change ag more than biotech did,” he said.

Begemann added that Bayer will continue to support all Roundup Ready products in the marketplace, even as those products have recently been challenged with a lawsuit for allegedly causing cancer. A California jury awarded $289 million in that case, opening the doors for future lawsuits.

Scientific studies have long shown the chemical is safe and effective, he said.

“We welcome the questions but will continue to keep it in the marketplace,” Begemann said.

Bob Reiter

Bob Reiter, head of research and development at Bayer, said the merger of the two companies combines the talents of 8,000 scientists at 35 research sites and 175 breeder locations around the globe.

He talked about how farmers can make better seed selection choices — “tailored solutions” — for every square meter in a field based on collected data.

“As I look ahead, the digital revolution is reshaping our research and how farmers are using our research on their farms,” Reiter said. “We’re applying the collection of data in ways we haven’t done in the past.”