Weedkiller manufacturer seeks lawmakers’ help to squelch claims it failed to warn about cancer

By HANNAH FINGERHUT and DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The maker of a popular weedkiller is turning to lawmakers in key states to try to squelch legal claims that it failed to warn about cancer risks. Bayer disputes such claims but already has paid about $10 billion to resolve them. Thousands of similar lawsuits remain pending. Bayer has supported legislation in Idaho, Iowa and Missouri that would shield pesticide and herbicide companies from failure-to-warn claims if they use labels approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. But legal experts warn it could have broader consequences — extending to any product liability claim or providing immunity from lawsuits of any kind. Critics say it could spread nationwide.