USA: Corteva subsidiary settles lawsuit with migrant farmworkers after workers sprayed with pesticide in Illinois; incl. co comment
Summary
Date Reported: 14 Aug 2024
Location: United States of America
Companies
Pioneer Hi-Bred International (part of Corteva) - Employer , Corteva (formerly Dow and DuPont) - Other Value Chain Entity , Farm Air - Other Value Chain Entity , RAS Aviation - Other Value Chain Entity , Curless Flying Service - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Occupational Health & Safety , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Restricted access to medicines , Access to Information , Violence , InjuriesResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Outrage around the case helped spur a change in the law that passed in June 2023 and increased penalties for applicators who expose humans to the harmful chemicals. A confidential settlement was reached in 2024 with Corteva and Pioneer Hi-Bred International. The case against the companies that owned and operated the aircrafts that sprayed the workers is ongoing. This lawsuit focuses on for violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Attorneys for RAS, Farm Air and Curless Flying Service, Inc. did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Corteva wrote in an emailed statement to Investigate Midwest, “We consistently denied in the lawsuit that the plaintiffs were sprayed with pesticides. That remains an issue in the case” and that “neither of (the aviation companies RAS Aviation or Curless) was working on our behalf when the plaintiffs claim to have been sprayed.”
Source type: News outlet
Pixabay
“Corteva, Pioneer Hi-Bred settle lawsuit with farmworkers sprayed with pesticides”
A group of migrant agricultural workers who were sprayed with pesticides while working in a central Illinois cornfield in 2019 reached a confidential settlement … with Corteva and its subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred International…
Lawyers for the workers said the companies violated the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act by:
- failing to provide them with facilities to wash off the chemicals…
- ordering the workers to go back into the fields still enveloped by the toxic compounds,
- lying to them about what had been sprayed,
- and by denying to pay for the workers hospital bills, despite carrying the legally required workers’ compensation coverage.
Federal and state investigations, investigative reporting and public outrage around the case helped spur a change in the law that passed in June 2023 and increased penalties for applicators who expose humans to the harmful chemicals…
The plaintiffs’ claims against the owners and operators of the aircrafts, RAS Aviation LLC, Curless Flying Service Inc. and Farm Air Inc. remain active…
Attorneys for RAS, Farm Air and Curless Flying Service, Inc. did not respond to requests for comment…
A spokesperson for Corteva wrote in an emailed statement …“We consistently denied in the lawsuit that the plaintiffs were sprayed with pesticides…