A group of 11 farmers from across the U.S. has filed an amended class-action complaint against Syngenta and Corteva, accusing the companies of using anticompetitive practices to extend monopoly control over pesticides after their patent rights expired.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, claims the companies used so-called loyalty programs to pressure distributors and retailers into buying 85% to 99% of their pesticide products exclusively from Syngenta and Corteva. Farmers allege this practice locked generic competitors out of the market, forced them to pay up to 40% higher prices, and stifled innovation in crop protection products.
This means farmers can still pursue damages under a patchwork of state laws and seek to stop the alleged illegal loyalty programs. The plaintiffs, who grow a wide range of crops from corn and soybeans to almonds and citrus, aim to represent tens of thousands of farmers nationwide.
Photo Credit: Farm Progress
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