Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018 for approximately $63 billion, despite controversy over glyphosate.
Monsanto was a major American agrochemical and agricultural-biotechnology company. It developed genetically modified crop seeds and produced agricultural herbicides, including products based on glyphosate. Bayer, a German company known for pharmaceuticals and life-science products, announced the planned acquisition in 2016.
The transaction closed on June 7, 2018, after regulatory reviews and required asset divestitures. Bayer paid approximately $63 billion, making it one of the largest all-cash corporate acquisitions at the time. Bayer retired the Monsanto name after closing, while continuing many of the acquired agricultural products and technologies.
The deal became associated with extensive litigation concerning glyphosate-based herbicides, particularly claims involving the product Roundup. Bayer has disputed allegations that glyphosate causes cancer, while courts and regulators have addressed different aspects of the controversy. Monsanto should not be confused with Syngenta, another major agricultural company acquired by ChemChina in 2017.