Washington, D.C. (RI) — The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Bayer cannot be sued for failing to warn people that the weed-killer Roundup could cause cancer. The decision comes after Congress and the Iowa Legislature rejected legislation that would have limited lawsuits over pesticide-related illnesses.
Iowa Farmers Union president Aaron Lehman says the decision is a “huge step backward for Iowa farmers.”
Lehman says the issue is especially important in Iowa.
70% of the Roundup sold in North America is made at a plant in Muscatine. Iowa candidates for governor Zach Lahn and Rob Sand have also criticized the ruling, saying they oppose shielding pesticide companies from cancer-related lawsuits. Bayer’s CEO, meanwhile, says the decision is good for American farmers.
