Supreme Court Takes Up Bayer Appeal in Case That Could Gut Americans’ Right to Sue Pesticide Makers 

Friends of the Earth condemns Trump DOJ for urging Justices to side with Bayer and weaken protections for people allegedly harmed by pesticides   

WASHINGTON – Today, the Supreme Court decided that it will take up a case involving Bayer’s Roundup weedkiller that could effectively curtail people’s ability to sue pesticide corporations for cancer and other health harms linked to their products.  

While Congress recently protected people’s right to sue by stripping so-called ‘cancer gag’ language – which would  have shielded pesticide corporations from legal liability – from a spending bill this month, President Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has urged the Supreme Court to side with pesticide giant Bayer against the interests of the public. This is a reversal of the Biden Administration’s recommendations in similar pending cases.  

“This case threatens everyone’s ability to hold pesticide corporations accountable,” said Jason Davidson, Senior Food and Agriculture Campaigner with Friends of the Earth U.S. “It is profoundly disturbing that the Trump administration would urge the court to side with the pesticide industry over the health and safety of the American people.” 

Communications contact: Lindsay Tice, [email protected], (202) 783-7400 ext. 8403