In a recent legislative move, the Senate Appropriations Committee has greenlit a bill aimed at granting pesticide manufacturers immunity from lawsuits over health risk warnings.
Robin Opsahl reports for The Des Moines Register.
In short:
- The bill, if passed, would protect pesticide producers from civil liability in cases where their products, compliant with EPA labeling, cause adverse health effects.
- The legislation specifically excludes Chinese state-owned companies, targeting Syngenta, and is backed by major agricultural and chemical firms, including Bayer.
- Critics argue the science on the safety of these pesticides, including glyphosate, is not yet settled, citing past FDA errors and ongoing health concerns.
Key quote:
“I don’t think that the science is caught up yet with with the real effects of some of these pesticides, and the FDA doesn’t necessarily have that good track record when it comes to it.”
— Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo
Why this matters:
Critics argue that shielding pesticide companies from lawsuits removes a critical mechanism for holding manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products. Without the threat of legal action, there is a fear that companies may not be as motivated to ensure their pesticides are safe for use, potentially leading to increased health risks for those exposed to these chemicals, including farmworkers, consumers, and residents in agricultural areas.
Despite decades of research linking pesticide drift to health harm, regulation remains weak and leaves the most vulnerable with few protections.
