Bayer Responds to Recent Glyphosate Judgement

Dear Industry Partners,

I’m connecting again with an important update on the litigation concerning our glyphosate-based products, and with some important resources to ensure you are able to share the most up-to-date information.

Update on Ongoing Trial

A California jury has ruled against Bayer and in favor of the plaintiffs, Alva and Alberta Pilliod, in the latest glyphosate trial. The jury of citizens determined that Monsanto is liable for the plaintiffs’ non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer and has awarded the plaintiff damages.

We are disappointed with the jury decision and will appeal the verdict, which is in stark contrast to the conclusion of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which re-stated recently its classification of glyphosate as “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” the agency’s most favorable classification. The EPA conclusion is consistent with the determinations of leading global health regulators over more than 40 years.

Bayer will challenge the verdict and damages on appeal. It is important in product liability litigation like this to assess these cases over the long term, as there will be a number of trials and verdicts, as well as appeals to be decided before verdicts become final. This process will take some years before we reach a clear outcome for the litigation, which we are confident will be driven by the extensive body of science that supports the safety of these products.

What You Can Do: Resources

In light of the jury’s decision and an expected increase in media attention, we wanted to provide some resources to help ensure that the conversation surrounding the trial is based on sound science:

These resources speak to the safety and/or importance of Roundup, and we encourage you to use them in whatever ways are most useful to you and your stakeholders.

As ever, we appreciate your time and energy. Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback.

 

Kimberly OBrien
Director, Government Affairs
Bayer U.S. LLC – Crop Science
Tel:          +1 617.608.7288
E-mail:     kimberly.obrien@bayer.com
Web:       http://www.bayer.com