Its weedkillers under attack, Bayer develops new herbicide

With a pair of the company’s mainstay herbicides losing punch against resistant weeds and under siege from lawsuits, Bayer officials said Thursday that its scientists are advancing development of a new weedkilling molecule — billed as the first new product of its kind to come along in decades. The announcement was a key highlight from calls with investors and the media, as Bayer Crop Science officials provided updates on the company’s research and development pipeline. The new herbicide molecule — the name of which has not yet been released — is entering a second phase of development, according to Bayer, and is not expected to become commercially available for nearly a decade. “We’re super excited by this breakthrough,” said Bob Reiter, the head of research and development for Bayer’s Crop Science Division. Company officials said it is seen as an eventual complement — and not a replacement — for today’s popular and profitable weedkilling chemicals like glyphosate, sold as Roundup, and dicamba, both of which are facing high-profile lawsuits over allegations of adverse impacts to human or crop health. Bayer, however, outlined continued reliance on each. Reiter described them as “anchors” of the company’s herbicide offerings, citing their respective versatility and effectiveness killing weeds...MORE