What's happened
Bayer has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Missouri case involving Roundup, after a jury awarded $1.25 million to a man with cancer. The company is also pursuing state legislation to limit lawsuits related to the weedkiller, which has faced numerous claims linking it to cancer.
What's behind the headline?
Legal Landscape
- Bayer's appeal to the Supreme Court follows conflicting rulings from lower courts, with the 3rd Circuit siding with Bayer while the 9th and 11th Circuits ruled against it.
- The company argues that federal pesticide laws should preempt state-level failure-to-warn lawsuits, a stance that could reshape liability for agricultural products.
Legislative Efforts
- Bayer is actively lobbying for state legislation that would protect it from lawsuits, with Georgia recently passing a bill that aligns with its interests.
- The outcome of these legislative efforts could significantly impact the future of agricultural innovation and the use of glyphosate in the U.S.
Implications for Agriculture
- If Bayer's legal challenges continue, it may reconsider the use of glyphosate in U.S. agriculture, which could have far-reaching effects on farming practices and crop yields.
- The ongoing litigation and legislative battles highlight the tension between agricultural practices and public health concerns, raising questions about the safety of widely used chemicals.
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Bayer's request to the Supreme Court comes amid its efforts to shield itself from lawsuits related to Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. The company has set aside $16 billion for settlements while asserting that the future of American agriculture is at stake. AP News echoes this sentiment, noting that Bayer disputes the cancer claims but is facing significant legal challenges, including a recent jury verdict in Georgia that ordered it to pay nearly $2.1 billion to a Roundup user. Bloomberg adds that Bayer's appeal follows a 2023 verdict where a jury awarded $1.25 million to a cancer sufferer, emphasizing the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding the product.
How we got here
Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, has faced approximately 181,000 lawsuits alleging that Roundup causes cancer. The company has set aside $16 billion for settlements while simultaneously seeking legal protections at the state level.
Go deeper
- What are the implications of Bayer's appeal?
- How does this affect farmers using Roundup?
- What are the potential outcomes of the legislation?
Common question
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What is Bayer appealing to the Supreme Court regarding Roundup?
Bayer is currently appealing a significant verdict related to its herbicide Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. This appeal raises important questions about the future of the product, ongoing lawsuits, and health concerns associated with its use. Below, we explore the implications of this case and what it means for consumers and the agricultural industry.
More on these topics
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States of America. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases that involve a point of federal law, and original jurisdict
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Bayer AG is a German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
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Roundup is the brand name of a systemic, broad-spectrum glyphosate-based herbicide originally produced by Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the United States.
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Missouri is a state in the Midwestern United States. With more than six million residents, it is the 18th-most populous state of the country. The largest urban areas are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia; the capital is Jefferson City. The
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Georgia is a state in the Southeastern Region of the United States. Georgia is the 24th-largest in area and 8th-most populous of the 50 United States.