Bayer wants to stop being sued for claims that its weed killer Roundup causes cancer. Certain versions of the herbicide have glyphosate as its active ingredient, and some studies have found that the chemical can lead to debilitating and deadly diseases including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. "Bayer has been pummeled with lawsuits, and between settlements and jury verdicts, it has been required to pay out more than $14 billion to plaintiffs," said The New Republic. With billions on the line, Bayer has opted to escalate the issue to the higher-ups.
Bayer has been lobbying to advance bills in Idaho, Iowa and Missouri that would "effectively immunize the company against allegations that its chemicals can cause cancer," said The Washington Post. The repercussions of these laws could spread far beyond Bayer. For example, the Iowa bill's wording makes it "interpretable to mean nobody could bring any suit," Jonathan Cardi, a product liability and torts expert at Wake Forest University School of Law, said to the AP.
Bayer is also seeking federal legislation. The company is specifically targeting the farm bill, which Congress adopts every five years to sustain federal agriculture and nutrition programs. "The approximately 1,000-page House version of the measure contains a single section — drafted with the aid of Bayer — that could halt some lawsuits against Roundup," said the Post. Bayer has been "losing, so they're coming to Congress with hat in hand trying to change the law," Daniel Savery, a senior legislative representative for the climate advocacy group Earthjustice, told the Post. | 
