The U.S. Justice Department has given conditional approval to the $142 billion merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont companies, pending divestiture. The deal creates the largest agriculture biotechnology seed firm in the United States. Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen says it’s another example of the continuation of ag concentration across the country. He says the result will be higher prices for farmers and fewer choices.

He says those large companies always argue merging will mean increased efficiency and better delivery of products. Hansen says the companies use those “so-called” efficiencies to pad their own profits at the expense of their customers.

Hansen says without the Justice Department bringing tougher antitrust enforcement over these mega mergers, it’s now necessary to turn to Congress for help.

While the Justice Department approved the merger to move forward, they’re also requiring the divestiture of multiple crop protection products and two petrochemical products before finalization of the merger.