FTC Seeks Public Comments on Agrium Inc.'s Application to Reopen and Set Aside Commission Orders Related to Its Now Abandoned Acquisition of CF Industries

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on an application by Agrium Inc. to reopen and set aside two FTC Orders. Under the first Order, Agrium, an agricultural products supplier, agreed to divest a range of assets as part of an agreement to allow the company to complete its acquisition of competitor CF Industries Holdings, Inc. The second Order required Agrium to hold the CF assets separate and maintain them, pending the completion of its acquisition CF Holdings.

After the FTC’s Orders were approved, Agrium abandoned its proposed acquisition of CF Holdings. Accordingly, Agrium states in its application that the Orders’ remedial measures are no longer needed to preserve competition in the anhydrous ammonia fertilizer market and that the Orders should be reopened and set aside.

The FTC is accepting public comments on the petition for 30 days, starting today and continuing through December 30, 2010. Comments can be sent to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20580. A public version of the application can be found on the FTC’s website. (FTC Docket No. C-4227; the staff contact is Eric D. Rohlck, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2681. See press release dated December 23, 2009)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.