A Case Study in Globalized Agribusiness Ethics: An Herbicide in the Spotlight

Abstract

This case study considers the growth, industrialization, and globalization of agribusiness in feeding the world, and the efficiencies sought through various innovations, especially pesticides.  A particular herbicide (a subset of a pesticide) has significant ethical dilemmas, misinformation, disinformation, and possibly big business bias – all surrounding the debate on the continuance of use and potential collateral safety issues.  This case considers Corporate Social Responsibility and ethics as well as the tensions between efficiency and collateral issues in business decisions.  There are scientific reports that can support various conclusions and ongoing litigations use these in support of rulings that also have gone both ways.  This continues to be a dynamic issue as science and court rulings occur, but this case study is of interest and significance to the business, international business, agribusiness, and agronomy fields of study as typical to decisions various stakeholders face.