Bayer and other chemical companies spent millions this year trying to railroad legislation through three states that would excuse them from responsibility when citizen juries find that Roundup and other pesticides cause cancer and other deadly illnesses. Here’s the score so far: 3 - Farmers, Families, and Ag Workers
0 - Massive Chemical Conglomerates The chemical company barons suffered their latest defeat last week in the Missouri State Senate, where a bipartisan group of legislators refused to pass a pesticide immunity bill. They join lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Iowa and Idaho who rejected similar measures, all choosing individual rights over corporate privilege. You’d think after three stunning defeats in America’s heartland, multinational Bayer and other chemical companies would get the message. Not so fast when millions of dollars in profit are involved. Instead, they convinced friendly members of the U.S. House to slip a pesticide immunity measure into the national Farm Bill. If passed, the law would override state and local law and the ability of citizen juries to decide how best to hold foreign chemical companies accountable when they hide the potential dangers of their products to the American public. Good news, bad news: Lawmakers will likely strip the measure from the Farm Bill. Nevertheless, lobbyists for Bayer are already on record saying they will be back in Iowa and other farm states next year, trying to scare farmers and legislators into believing they will stop making Roundup if they don’t get their way. We all know how important pesticides are to the farm economy in Iowa. But we don’t believe Bayer’s bluff, and we don’t think Iowans will either. Instead, we are confident that Republican and Democrat legislators will stand with farmers and other workers against toxic chem-conglomerates, defeating any bill that takes the power of accountability away from the people. | 
