Shareholders of U.S. seeds and agrochemicals company Monsanto MON -0.07% approved the company’s $66 billion acquisition by Bayer AG BAYRY 0.92% on Tuesday, a deal that still requires regulatory approval to close as expected in late 2017.
Increased research and development spending by the combined companies and plans to develop a global seeds and biotechnology hub in St. Louis fuel hopes regulators will not block the deal, which was agreed upon in September, Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant said.
