Bayer has lobbied Congress to pass legislation that could shield it from billions in lawsuits claiming Roundup causes cancer, potentially altering pesticide regulations.
Tony Romm reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Bayer is pushing a provision in the farm bill to make it harder for plaintiffs to sue over Roundup's alleged health risks.
- The company argues that glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient, is not carcinogenic, citing federal reviews.
- Bayer aims to avoid further financial hits from ongoing lawsuits after a $10 billion settlement in 2020.
Key quote:
“They’ve been losing, so they’re coming to Congress with hat in hand trying to change the law."
— Daniel Savery, senior legislative representative for Earthjustice
Why this matters:
The proposed legislation could effectively limit liability for Bayer, potentially saving the company billions of dollars. However, environmental and health advocates argue that such a move would undermine the accountability of pesticide manufacturers and could lead to weakened regulations, putting both public health and the environment at risk.
