Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today made the following statement regarding the Justice Department’s announced decision requiring certain divestitures in the proposed merger between Dow Chemical and DuPont.
“I am pleased that the Justice Department listened to the concerns I raised with the Dow-DuPont transaction. I appreciate the department’s requirement that these companies divest portions of their businesses in order to maintain a more fair and open marketplace for America’s independent producers, farmers and consumers. In recent years, we’ve seen a rapid trend in concentration within the agriculture sector that has rightly put American farmers and ranchers on edge. Producer choice and competition is not only essential for a thriving agriculture economy, it also benefits all Americans who depend on a safe and abundant food supply. I will continue to keep a close eye on consolidation within the agriculture industry and call for vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws,” Grassley said.
Grassley’s statement follows a Justice Department announcement requiring the divestiture of multiple crop protection products and two petrochemical products in order for the Dow-DuPont merger to proceed.