The Madison County owners of a produce farm are suing a chemical company over the alleged negligent use of pesticides.
Brian and Peggy Boeser filed a lawsuit on Oct. 16 in the Madison County Circuit Court against CHS Inc., doing business as CHS-Shipman Elevator Co., CHS-Shipman Inc. and Jared Scott Mettler.
According to the complaint, the Boesers operate St. Morgan Produce Farm, a well-known grower of tomatoes, squash, zucchini, onion, broccoli, cabbage and cucumbers serving the St. Louis metro area. The suit says that on May 6, 2014, Mettler, a CHS-Shipman employee, applied pesticides to a neighboring corn crop that damaged the plaintiff’s fruit and vegetable crops.
The Boesers allege the defendants were negligent in applying a chemical allegedly known to be dangerous to non-corn crops, which allegedly violates the Illinois Pesticide Act. The damaged crops, the suit says, reduced the plaintiff’s income until crops could be replanted the following year.
The Boesers seek damages in excess of $50,000. They are represented by attorney Stephen C. Buser of Columbia.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-1344.