After a three-week trial in federal court, a jury has ordered Bayer AG and BASF must pay $265 million in total damages to Missouri’s largest peach farmer.
The verdict Saturday found the dicamba herbicide caused $15 million in compensatory damages to Bill Bader of Bader Farms and the remaining $250 million in punitive damages. A report from Bloomberg states that jurors found Bayer and BASF responsible for the damages caused from dicamba drift from nearby cotton fields during a three-year period that began in 2015.
Bayer issued the following statement:
We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict. While we have empathy for Mr. Bader, Monsanto’s products were not responsible for the losses sought in this lawsuit and we look forward to appealing the decision.
Despite the verdict, Bayer stands behind Xtend seed and XtendiMax herbicide products, which enjoy a 95% weed control satisfaction rate from the farmers who use them. We want our customers to know that, as this legal matter continues, we remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering them the effective and sustainable tools they need in the field.
This is the first case over dicamba that was decided by a jury. There are numerous other dicamba suits filed by farmers in several states who are seeking to be compensated from crops that were damaged by dicamba.
