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Missouri governor to meet with Bayer CEO

The Governor of Missouri is going to Germany next month to meet with the CEO of Bayer about that company’s planned purchase of Missouri-based Monsanto. Governor Jay Nixon will meet with Bayer’s CEO, “To sit with he and the management team over there and begin to make sure that some of the things they said as they began the process about keeping St. Louis the plant science hub of the world, that we can put some strength into those statements.”

Nixon says Bayer already has significant investments in Missouri, “I visited a plant in the Kansas City area, it’s been there over 40 years. Almost 800 employees there. High-end, high-tech plant. They’re happy with that. So, I think, if the merger goes through I think that there (are) ways for Missouri to benefit.”

Missouri Ag Director Richard Fordyce tells Brownfield maintaining and growing jobs in Missouri is just one of the concerns, “And it’s also, I think, from a farmer’s perspective – it’s really important that we encourage the company that is the company after the merger continues to invest in R and D (research and development).”

Bayer and Monsanto leaders have said the combined business will have its global Seeds and Traits and North American commercial headquarters in St. Louis. Monsanto employs more than 4-thousand people in Missouri. The deal still needs full regulatory approval.

~Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth contributed to this story