National Corn Growers Association in the US responds to glyphosate developments

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) responds to two significant legal developments concerning glyphosate that have occurred this week.

First, on Monday, a federal judge in California ruled that glyphosate cannot be labeled as "likely to cause cancer" under California's Proposition 65, which requires businesses to provide warnings about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer. NCGA was a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the state's plans to require all glyphosate products to be labeled with this warning.

Bayer announced this week that it has decided to settle thousands of lawsuits that accuse a link between glyphosate use and cancer.

Iowa corn farmer and NCGA President Kevin Ross made the following statement in response to these developments:

"Corn farmers rely on glyphosate as an integral and essential part of their weed management, no-till and soil health plans. It has been on the market for more than 40 years and undergone extensive safety reviews in this time.

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and numerous other regulatory bodies around the world have not found glyphosate to be carcinogenic, as was pointed out by the federal judge ruling that the product cannot be labeled as such in California. We appreciate and respect the science-based decision making applied in this case.

"Unfortunately, the same science-based rationale has not been applied in the lawsuits and subsequent jury verdicts against Bayer alleging a link between glyphosate use and cancer. We respect Bayer's decision to settle many of these cases in order to move forward as a company while keeping glyphosate available to the farmers who rely on it.

"NCGA acknowledges that Bayer has not admitted fault through this decision and continues to reiterate a commitment to the safety of the product.

"Corn farmers work hard every day to produce safe and affordable food, fuel and fiber for the country and the world. Responsible use of products like glyphosate is an important part of our ability to do just that in a long-term, sustainable fashion."