Dow AgroSciences issues statement on Bayer’s lawsuits

Dow AgroSciences has learned from a press release issued by Bayer CropScience that Bayer filed a lawsuit against Dow AgroSciences late on Friday, January 20, in federal court in Virginia (AgroNews 2012-01-24).

Although Dow AgroSciences has not seen the Complaint, the company understands that this new lawsuit concerns the right to sell seeds containing glufosinate resistance technology, which is part of Dow AgroSciences' highly-anticipated Enlist platform.

This new lawsuit would be the third case Bayer has filed against Dow AgroSciences in a little more than a year. Dow AgroSciences believes all three lawsuits are without merit, and it will aggressively defend itself against each of them.

As a leading research-based agricultural company, Dow AgroSciences has developed a substantial intellectual property estate and has a history of innovation. Accordingly, the company has the utmost respect for intellectual property rights.

Dow AgroSciences will do everything in its power to keep Bayer from interfering with its history of innovation, and to prevent Bayer from depriving American farmers of Enlist products. It is, indeed, unfortunate that Bayer has decided to pursue these meritless claims through litigation.