Farm groups that helped Bayer defend its Roundup weedkiller in the Supreme Court are now furious at the company. Just five days after those groups supported Bayer in court, the German company turned around and asked the federal government to slap tariffs on a key ingredient that farmers rely on.
The ingredient is glyphosate, the main chemical in Roundup. Bayer wants import duties on Chinese-made glyphosate, claiming it is being "dumped" in the U.S. and sold below "fair value." According to Fortune, the move has sparked immediate backlash from the very farmers who helped Bayer in court.
Bayer's Tariff Request on Glyphosate Angers Farmers
Bayer is a major player in agricultural technology. Farmers depend on its products, especially Roundup, to control weeds. But by asking for tariffs on Chinese glyphosate, Bayer is effectively raising the cost of a product farmers use heavily.
Farm groups say the timing is especially bad. Farmers are already under financial pressure. A recent Texas A&M study found that the types of duties Bayer is seeking would hurt farmers even more. The groups argue that Bayer is putting its own profits ahead of the people who buy its products.
Farm Groups Helped Bayer in the Supreme Court
Just days before the tariff request, farm groups had stood by Bayer in a major legal fight. They helped the company defend Roundup against cancer claims in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. The case was critical for Bayer, which faces tens of thousands of lawsuits over Roundup's alleged link to cancer.
According to Fortune, these same farm groups now feel betrayed. They say Bayer's tariff request undermines the partnership between the company and the agricultural community.
"Bayer's decision to file for countervailing duties will hurt farmers." — National Corn Growers Association via Facebook
Our Take: A Short-Sighted Move by Bayer
This is a clear case of a company biting the hand that feeds it. Farm groups went to bat for Bayer in the Supreme Court, defending a product that is central to the company's business. In return, Bayer asked for tariffs that will make that same product more expensive for farmers.
To put it plainly, this looks like a betrayal of trust. Farmers are already dealing with tight margins and rising costs. Adding tariffs on a key input like glyphosate only makes their situation worse. Bayer may have a legal argument about unfair trade practices, but the optics are terrible.
In our view, Bayer should have consulted with farm groups before making this move. The company needs its customers more than its customers need it. If farmers start looking for alternatives to Roundup, Bayer could lose the very market it is trying to protect.
This story is a reminder that corporate decisions have real consequences for the people who depend on those companies. Farmers helped Bayer in court. Bayer should have thought twice before turning around and hitting them with a tariff.
