BASF, the chemical company most widely known for its ongoing “We make it better” TV commercials, owes U.S. farmers $52 million for making it dishonestly.

The Minnesota Supreme Court says BASF dishonestly took money from the country’s growers through the false advertising and marketing of herbicides. (Please see “Shoptalk” on Page 9 for details.)

BASF will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but with court decisions against the company now on the record, it’s fair to say BASF got what it had coming. And now the farmers will, too.

Beware The Cynics.

What would be unfair is if critics of the chemical industry used BASF’s sins to depict all chemical companies as dishonest corporations seeking profits by any means possible, regardless of the harm to people or the environment.

As no-tillers, we know better. The chemical producers are a valuable part of the agricultural scene. As growers, we count on herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and processed fertilizers to help us feed the world — and our families. We know the benefits these products bring to our fields and tables.

Yes, there are risks associated with chemicals, just as there are with most any kind of tools. Be we’ve been alerted to the potential dangers and the precautions needed to minimize them. The safety procedures are right there on the labels.

Demand The Truth.

We have a right to the kind of information that allows us to weigh the risks against the benefits, and we’ve come to expect it. BASF violated that…