This week the U.S. Justice Department announced that Monsanto’s sale of Precision Planting LLC to John Deere has been terminated. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish is pleased with the development. He says if the deal had approved it would have led to more concentration and fewer choices for farmers and ranchers.

He says without competition, prices for ag products rise and are not affordable for farmers.

Wertish says with just a few companies controlling the market there is no incentive for them to improve technology in inputs or machinery or make them affordable.

John Deere’s Chief Information Officer John May says they are deeply disappointed in this outcome and remain confident the acquisition would have benefited consumers.