Bayer sued for allegedly monopolizing US market for GMO corn seeds | Fulton Sun

Bayer sued for allegedly monopolizing US market for GMO corn seeds. A federal lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Missouri by Latham Quality, a family-owned Iowa seed firm, accuses Bayer of anti-competitive practices after acquiring Monsanto in 2018. The complaint targets the market for corn seeds engineered to resist Bayer’s Roundup herbicide, claiming Bayer used its control to raise costs for farmers and independent seed companies while blocking generic competition for NK603. Latham seeks treble damages and a class action. Bayer denies the allegations, saying its markets are competitive and compliant. The suit notes NK603’s patent expired in 2022, yet herbicide-tolerant seeds remain widely used, with about 92% of U.S. corn acres adopting such technology.

The submission also contends Bayer sought to prevent competitors from using its genetic material to create generics and continued royalties on seeds developed from its material. The case adds to Bayer’s regulatory and legal burdens as it defends multiple lawsuits related to Roundup.