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Pesticide Giant Reaches $35 Million Antitrust Deal With FTC

By  |  October 5, 2026
Federal Trade Commission, Air AI, FTC

Corteva Inc. agreed to pay $35 million and restrict certain pesticide-distribution loyalty programs for a decade to resolve an antitrust case brought by Nebraska, federal regulators and other states, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

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    The settlement ends the litigation against Corteva stemming from a 2022 lawsuit that accused the agricultural-chemicals company of using loyalty arrangements that impeded competition from lower-priced generic crop-protection products. Nebraska brought the case alongside the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from 11 other states, according to the state’s Oct. 2 announcement.

    Regulators alleged the programs limited farmers’ access to cheaper generic alternatives and contributed to higher prices for products containing acetochlor, oxamyl and rimsulfuron as active ingredients, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office said.

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    Under the agreement, Corteva will dismantle the challenged programs for 10 years. The company will also be barred during that period from operating loyalty arrangements that tie payments to distributors buying more than half of their requirements for an active ingredient from Corteva when the company’s patent on that ingredient has expired, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

    Read more: FTC, States Reach Antitrust Settlement With Corteva Over Pesticide Sales

    Corteva must provide annual compliance reports to the FTC and participating states and establish and maintain an antitrust compliance program, both for 10 years, the office said. Nebraska expects to receive more than $10 million of the $35 million settlement.

    Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said the agreement was intended to increase competition and reduce costs for farmers and consumers. He said greater availability of generic crop-protection products should help produce more competitive pricing.

    The settlement resolves the governments’ case against Corteva but does not end the broader litigation. The FTC, Nebraska and the other participating attorneys general are continuing their case against Syngenta Crop Protection AG and related Syngenta entities over similar allegations, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

    Source: AGO Nebraska