Sen. Cory Booker’s New Bill Targets Legal Shields for Pesticide Makers
A new bill introduced by Senator Cory Booker aims to give people harmed by pesticides the right to sue manufacturers in federal court. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act comes amid growing concern over the links between pesticides like Roundup and health issues, including cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
This bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to create a “right of action” ensuring that people can hold pesticide makers liable even when state laws prevent them from filing claims.
The proposed legislation would counteract the efforts by Bayer and a group of agricultural organizations that are pushing for state-by-state legislation to block people from filing lawsuits against the pesticide companies for failing to warn consumers of the risks associated with their use.
“Rather than providing a liability shield so that foreign corporations are allowed to poison the American people, Congress should instead pass the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to ensure that these chemical companies can be held accountable in federal court for the harm caused by their toxic products,” Booker said in a press release announcing his proposal.
States Begin Passing Laws That Block Pesticide Lawsuits
Efforts to limit pesticide company liability have been successful in Georgia and North Dakota. Both states passed laws that critics say provide chemical manufacturers with a legal shield from accountability.
These so-called “liability shield” laws prevent injured consumers from suing companies like Bayer if their pesticide labels match federal requirements. Under these laws, if a pesticide label complies with Environmental Protection Agency regulations, manufacturers can’t be held liable for failing to provide additional health warnings.
“No one can dispute that crop pesticides are poisons. They are designed to kill weeds, but they also kill non-target plants and there is sound evidence linking them to human health problems,” said Jim Goodman, president of the National Family Farm Coalition, in a statement released with the announcement of Booker’s bill.
“People sickened by their poisons go bankrupt paying for their medical care and sometimes ultimately die. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act of 2025 will hold agri-chemical companies accountable for the irreparable harms they cause.”
Syngenta, which is owned by ChemChina, agreed to a $187.5 million settlement in 2021 over claims that its herbicide paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease. Monsanto, a subsidiary of Bayer, has paid billions of dollars to settle Roundup lawsuits linking glyphosate to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In July, Syngenta agreed to settle a paraquat lawsuit weeks before it was set to go to trial in Philadelphia court. The plaintiff, Douglas Nemeth, claimed he developed Parkinson’s after decades of exposure to paraquat while working as a farmer. The settlement terms were not made public, but it comes as Syngenta moves to resolve much of its ongoing paraquat litigation.
Roughly 6,300 lawsuits have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation. In April, court documents revealed a tentative settlement agreement had been reached, but it has not been finalized.
Thousands of Lawsuits Target Syngenta and Bayer Over Alleged Health Risks
Litigation against Bayer and Syngenta has been ongoing for years, with new lawsuits continuing to be filed. Farmers, agricultural workers and individuals who used the herbicides at home have filed lawsuits against the agrochemical giants, alleging that their products caused long-term harm.
Both companies refute the claims that their products are the cause of serious diseases.
People who have developed cancer or Parkinson’s after long-term pesticide exposure may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Legal experts recommend documenting exposure history and speaking with an attorney familiar with product liability law.
