Ben Thayer

Ben Thayer inquired about the opportunities and likelihood of M&A activity within the crop protection business, particularly for biologicals, to expand the portfolio beyond internal pipeline development, especially in the context of the upcoming spin-off.

Answer

CEO Chuck Magro indicated that Corteva has been active in M&A for biologicals over the past couple of years, noting the fragmented nature of the industry with many smaller, innovative companies. He stated that outright acquisitions, commercial collaborations, or R&D partnerships are all options on the table. Magro anticipates that as the crop protection company separates, it will become even more focused on growing its biologicals portfolio, leading to an acceleration of M&A and technological/commercial partnerships over time.

Ben Thayer inquired about the opportunities and likelihood of the standalone crop protection business, particularly its biologicals segment, being active in M&A to expand its portfolio beyond the internal pipeline.

Answer

CEO Chuck Magro noted that Corteva has been active in M&A in the biologicals industry due to its fragmented nature and the presence of smaller, innovative companies. He suggested that the separated crop protection company would likely accelerate M&A, technological, and commercial partnerships to grow its biologicals portfolio, as all options are on the table.