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Facing financial strain from reduced incomes, more U.S. farmers are turning to cheaper, generic pesticides and herbicides for the upcoming planting season. This shift threatens the earnings of major agrichemical companies like Bayer. It recently reported its lowest stock value in 20 years. Due to this trend, other firms, including Syngenta, Corteva and BASF, could also face economic challenges.

Farmers like Paul Butler and Jeff O’Connor from Illinois are cutting costs by using generics despite limited respray guarantees. Some are investing in weed-targeting equipment to reduce chemical use further.

According to Landus CEO Matt Carstens, this shift reflects farmers’ reconsideration of their actual needs and the question of whether name-brand chemicals justify the added expense. The expiration of patents for widely used chemicals, including glyphosate, has enabled a surge in generic options. They now cover 80% of the market. As profit margins tighten, analysts expect more farmers to seek savings in crop protection chemicals.

Read more about the trend toward generic pesticides and herbicides here.