Missouri farm awarded $265M in suit against BASF and Bayer

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) - A jury has awarded $265 million in punitive damages to a Missouri peach grower who sued Bayer and BASF over damage to his orchards that he says was caused by the weedkiller dicamba drifting onto his trees.

The award Saturday came a day after the jury awarded $15 million in actual damages to Bill Bader, of Campbell.

Bader says dicamba drifted onto his peach trees from other farms.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the jury agreed with the lawsuit’s contention that Bayer and BASF committed negligence and conspired together. Bayer’s attorneys said the company will appeal.