Deere responds to Justice Department move to block acquisition

Deere & Co said its proposal to buy Precision Planting, an agricultural equipment and technology company, will increase consumer choice and directly benefit growers, in a response filed on Wednesday to the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit to block the acquisition. Deere announced its planned acquisition of Precision Planting in November 2015, for about $190 million. Precision Planting's parent is The Climate Corporation, which is a unit of Monsanto Co .