Aventis CropScience becomes Bayer CropScience

Aventis CropScience has officially become Bayer CropScience as a result of last year's acquisition of the CropScience unit by Bayer for around 7.25 billion euros ($13.4 billion).

The new company will operate in three divisions including crop protection (broadacre, horticulture, cotton and seed treatments), bioscience (traditional and genetically modified seed for canola, hybrid sorghum, corn, sunflowers and vegetables, and funding of pure research in cotton) and environmental science (professional and consumer solutions for pest control).

"The network developed by our former companies, and now as part of Bayer CropScience, allows us to research, test and develop new crop and environmental solutions under all climates and farming conditions," said Australian managing director Olivier Duroni.

He said that the company would ensure that Australia would stay at the forefront of global developments in agriculture.

The merger should not affect the development of GM crops in programs initiated by Aventis CropScience, according to public affairs manager Naomi Stevens. The company recently filed for commercial approval of genetically modified InVigor canola for use in Australia. "The whole project has just changed ownership and will be tracking along in the same direction," she said.