Statement | Approval of Bunge-Viterra Takeover Means Less Money in the Pockets of Canadian Farmers

January 15, 2025 – This week, the Canadian government approved the takeover of Viterra by agribusiness giant Bunge despite opposition from grain associations and Canada’s Competition Bureau. By reducing competition for grain handling and processing services, estimates put the cost of the merger to Canadian farmers as high as $700 million annually. In approving the transaction, the government has required the divestiture of six grain elevators in Western Canada and placed restrictions on Bunge’s stake in grain handler G3, previously a competitor to Viterra, to ensure Bunge cannot influence G3’s business practices. In response, CAMP released the following statement.

“The government’s approval of the Bunge-Viterra takeover is a loss for grain farmers that depend on competitive markets to get a fair deal for the fruits of their labour,” said Keldon Bester, Executive Director of CAMP. “The need to place firewalls around Bunge’s ownership of G3 makes it clear that the transaction creates an ongoing conflict of interest at the expense of Canada’s grain farmers. The approval of Bunge-Viterra continues the march of consolidation at all levels of Canada’s food system that has left producers and shoppers with fewer options and less competition in an environment of steadily rising prices.”