How Could Ag Mergers Benefit Farmers?

How can a large agribusiness merger benefit producers and consumers?

The COO of DowDupont's newly-formed agriculture division, James Collins, provided an insider's perspective when he told an audience at the USDA ag outlook forum that such companies are taking a broader approach that addresses both traditional matters such as crop protection, and recent consumer demands such as knowing about the source of their food.

"The bottom line here is that scale supports innovation. And innovation is going to allow us to help our customers increase yield to meet that growing demand that we know is out there, but doing much more sustainably and more responsibly."

In addition, companies can then think outside the box of traditional communication, engage in broader ways of communication through social media, and create direct relationships with stars in the food world and academics.

"Ultimately, we expect that they will help us connect our science to markets, much more directly, and more effectively."