Justice Dept. sues to block Deere’s acquisition of Precision Planting

The Department of Justice has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit seeking to block Moline, Ill.-based Deere & Co.’s proposed acquisition of Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, Ill., from Monsanto Co.

The lawsuit alleges that the transaction would combine the only two significant U.S. providers of high-speed precision planting systems—technology designed to allow farmers to plant crops accurately at higher speeds. Together they account for at least 86 percent of the market, according to the complaint.