Monsanto’s (MON) name could be lost as the company merges with Bayer (BAYZF).
The latter’s $66 billion acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of next year, and Bloomberg reports that the company is considering getting rid of the infamous Monsanto name. Monsanto products like seed corn and Roundup herbicide could instead be sold as Bayer CropScience brands.
Monsanto has quite a bad reputation among environmentalists who don’t approve of its use of genetically modified crops, and resistance against labeling them. It also isn’t on such great terms with those who haven’t forgotten about its Agent Orange herbicide that was weaponized by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.
While Bayer isn’t exactly in the good graces of environmentalists either, it is better known for inventing Aspirin, which it brought to the market in 1899.
Though no decisions have been made at this point in time, Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant suggested that he wouldn’t be against a name change. “I’ve been very flexible,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg. “The key is less about the name and more about the products developed.”
Neither Bayer nor Monsanto could immediately be reached for comment.