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• Special Action—Failure to Warn: Help Stop Georgia Bill To Protect Chemical Companies from Lawsuits [Inactive]

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• EPA’s Ongoing Failures Go Beyond Pollinators

PLEASE reach out to the governor to VETO legislation in Georgia (SB 144) that will shield pesticide manufacturers from being sued by people who have been harmed by their products. Beyond Pesticides is a national, grassroots organization that represents community-based organizations and a range of people seeking to improve protections from pesticides and promote alternative pest management strategies that reduce or eliminate reliance on toxic pesticides.

This legislation is moving fast! SB 144 was voted through the Senate on Tuesday, March 4 [42-12] and unfortunately also passed the Georgia House on Thursday, March 13 [101-58]! Update—Unfortunately, Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) signed SB 144/HB 424 into law on May 9, 2025.

The governor must know it is unacceptable to deny people who have not been fully warned of the hazards of pesticides the right to sue the manufacturers that have harmed them. This is a basic right that is at risk of being taken away from Georgians!

Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at the National Agriculture Law Center. "Failure-to-warn" is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff's injury,” says Ms. Rollins.

Petrochemical-based pesticide manufacturers, predominately German-owned Bayer-Monsanto, are expanding their all-out push from last year's efforts in Missouri, Iowa, and Idaho. Bills have been recently introduced in eleven states, however through grassroots mobilization on short notice, we defeated the legislation in three states this year and Missouri, Iowa, and Idaho last year.

Please help us stop an industry campaign to protect chemical corporations, not people!

>> Please ask the governor to VETO SB 144 by clicking here. [Inactive]

Thank you!

The Target for this Action is Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia.

Thank you for your active participation and engagement! The Action is a multi-step process, so please click submit below to proceed to step two, where you will be able to personalize comments before final submission. The comment maximum limit is 4,000 characters, so it may be necessary to delete some of our prepared message text if editing.

↪️ For more information, please see our Myths & Facts and Georgia resource page, as well as the Failure-to-Warn and Pesticide Immunity Bills resource hub.

Letter to Governor Kemp: [Original text from March 13, 2025]

I am writing to urge you to VETO SB 144, determining that "a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency." This would effectively shield pesticide manufacturers from being sued by people who have been harmed by their products. The chemical companies have argued unsuccessfully all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court that they should not be required to warn consumers about the dangers of their products. So now they are asking Georgians to do what they have not been able to do in the courts—prevent us, your constituents, from taking action when harmed by their harmful products!

If this bill were to pass, it would strike a blow to consumer and farmer safety in Georgia. In a climate with less regulation, the ability to sue creates an incentive for manufacturers to develop safer products that protect those who use potentially hazardous materials, public safety, and the health of the environment—not to mention the compensation it provides to those harmed.

Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at National Agriculture Law Center. Failure-to-warn is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff’s injury,” says Ms. Rollins. For more information, see Myths & Facts sheet (bp-dc.org/failure-to-warn-myths-and-facts-sheet) and Georgia state resource page. (https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/failure-to-warn/bills-to-track/southeast-target-states)

Petrochemical-based pesticide manufacturers, predominately German-owned Bayer-Monsanto, are expanding their all-out push from last year to at least eleven states. The focus of these bills is to protect chemical corporations, not your constituents.

Please VETO SB 144 for us and protect those in Georgia by ensuring that those harmed by toxic products are compensated!

Thank you!

Action Alert to state Representatives and Senators [Original text from February 13, 2025]

Help stop legislation in Georgia (HB 424/SB 144) that will shield pesticide manufacturers from being sued by people who have been harmed by their products. Beyond Pesticides is a national, grassroots organization that represents community-based organizations and a range of people seeking to improve protections from pesticides and promote alternative pest management strategies that reduce or eliminate a reliance on toxic pesticides.

HB 424 was filed on February 12 and is moving to the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee at a moment's notice! SB 144 was filed on February 11 and is moving to the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee as of February 12. If these bills were to pass, they would strike a blow to consumer safety for all toxic products. In a climate with less regulation, the ability to sue creates an incentive for manufacturers to develop safer products that protect our health and the environment—not to mention the compensation it provides to those harmed.

Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at the National Agriculture Law Center. "Failure-to-warn" is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff's injury,” says Ms. Rollins. 

Petrochemical-based pesticide manufacturers, predominately German-owned Bayer-Monsanto, are expanding their all-out push from last year when bills were introduced in Missouri, Iowa, and Idaho. We mobilized last year with little warning, and we were able to defeat these bills. Currently, bills have been introduced in seven states. The focus of these bills is to protect chemical corporations, not people. 

>> Please ask your state Representative and Senator to OPPOSE HB 424/SB 144 by clicking here.

The Targets for this Action are Senators and Representatives in the state legislature of Georgia.

Thank you for your active participation and engagement! The Action is a multi-step process, so please click submit below to proceed to step two, where you will be able to personalize comments before final submission. The comment maximum limit is 4,000 characters, so it may be necessary to delete some of our prepared message text if editing.

↪️ For more information, please see our Myths & Facts and Georgia resource page, as well as the Failure-to-Warn and Pesticide Immunity Bills resource hub.

Letter to the Georgia Senate: [Original text from February 13, 2025]

I am writing to ask you to oppose SB 144, determining that "a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency." This would effectively shield pesticide manufacturers from being sued by people who have been harmed by their products. The chemical companies have argued unsuccessfully all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court that they should not be required to warn consumers about the dangers of their products. So now they are asking the Georgia legislature to do what they have not been able to do in the courts—prevent people harmed by toxic products from suing them.

SB 144 was filed on February 11 and referred to the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee on February 12.

If this bill were to pass, it would strike a blow to consumer and farmer safety for all toxic products. In a climate with less regulation, the ability to sue creates an incentive for manufacturers to develop safer products that protect those who use potentially hazardous materials, public safety, and the health of the environment—not to mention the compensation it provides to those harmed.

Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at National Agriculture Law Center. Failure-to-warn is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff’s injury,” says Ms. Rollins. For more information, see the Myths & Facts sheet (bp-dc.org/failure-to-warn-myths-and-facts-sheet) and Georgia state resource page. (https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/failure-to-warn/bills-to-track/southeast-target-states)

Petrochemical-based pesticide manufacturers, predominantly German-owned Bayer-Monsanto, are expanding their all-out push from last year to at least seven states. The focus of these bills is to protect chemical corporations, not people.

Please oppose SB 144 and ensure that those who are harmed by toxic products are compensated.

Thank you!

Letter to the Georgia House: [Original text from February 13, 2025]

I am writing to ask you to oppose HB 424 would effectively shield pesticide manufacturers from being sued by people who have been harmed by their products. The chemical companies have argued unsuccessfully all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court that they should not be required to warn consumers about the dangers of their products. So now they are asking the Georgia legislature to do what they have not been able to do in the courts—prevent people harmed by toxic products from suing them.

HB 424 was filed on February 12 and is moving to the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee at a moment's notice!

If this bill were to pass, it would strike a blow to consumer and farmer safety for all toxic products. In a climate with less regulation, the ability to sue creates an incentive for manufacturers to develop safer products that protect those who use potentially hazardous materials, public safety, and the health of the environment—not to mention the compensation it provides to those harmed.

Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at National Agriculture Law Center. "Failure-to-warn" is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff’s injury,” says Ms. Rollins. For more information, see  Myths & Facts sheet (bp-dc.org/failure-to-warn-myths-and-facts-sheet) and Georgia state resource page. (https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/failure-to-warn/bills-to-track/southeast-target-states)

Petrochemical-based pesticide manufacturers, predominantly German-owned Bayer-Monsanto, are expanding their all-out push from last year to at least seven states. The focus of these bills is to protect chemical corporations, not people.

Please oppose HB 424 and ensure that those who are harmed by toxic products are compensated.

Thank you!