Law protects manufacturers of plant protection products from legal proceedings

A law now protects manufacturers of plant protection products in the USA from legal proceedings. This is intended to prevent potential lawsuits regarding health risks.

As reported by the trade magazine AgDaily, a law in the state of Georgia in the USA will now protect manufacturers of plant protection products from impending legal proceedings. Georgia is now the second state, following North Dakota, to pass such a law. Manufacturers will be protected from certain types of lawsuits, especially those claiming that users were not warned about potential health risks, according to the trade magazine.

The law was signed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp. It applies generally to all plant protection product manufacturers who adhere to state labeling regulations. However, AgDaily suggests that it primarily targets Bayer AG. The company is to be shielded from lawsuits claiming that the widely used herbicide Roundup with its glyphosate active ingredient is linked to cancer. The trade magazine reports that nine other states in the USA have considered similar laws this year.

Since acquiring Monsanto in 2018, the German company Bayer has been inundated with lawsuits, including those related to Roundup. The accusation is that it causes cancer. About 67,000 lawsuits are still pending, with Bayer not disclosing how many are specific to Georgia, according to AgDaily. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Roundup is likely not carcinogenic if used correctly.

Despite the health risks, glyphosate is important for modern agriculture. Recently, a man from Georgia was awarded $2.1 billion in compensation for blaming Roundup for his cancer. However, Bayer argues that glyphosate is important in modern agriculture. According to the trade magazine, it helps in weed control and reduces erosion and climate impact through reduced soil tillage.

With material from AgDaily