Bayer CropScience AG and Monsanto Company announced October 14 a broad-reaching business agreement that will provide farmers worldwide greater access to the new agricultural technologies of both companies.
The agreement dismisses several long-standing lawsuits and resolves several outstanding patent disputes between the companies.
The companies agreed to cross-license each other under their respective patent estates for herbicide tolerance and insect-resistance technologies.
The agreements will enable each company to focus on serving customer rather than spending energy on legal disputes. Both companies look forward to a more positive business environment to develop and commercialize innovative plant biotechnology products.
The agreement includes cross-license-enabling technology for certain herbicide-tolerant crops. This will enable broader farmer access to glufosinate-toleratnt and glyphosate-tolerant crops.
Bayer will provide Monsanto a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license to Bayer's technology related to Monsanto's corn-rootworm product. In addition, Monsanto amends Bayer's existing non-exclusive, royalty-bearing licenes for use of Monsanto's herbicide-tolerant and insect-protected technologies for cotton.
In addition, Bayer amends Monsanto's existing non-exclusive royalty-bearing license for use of Bayer's Dual Bt insect-protected enabling technology to provide more favorable terms for all crops.