The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that federal law preempts state failure-to-warn claims over Roundup’s labeling, handing Bayer a major victory in a Missouri case that could reshape thousands of pending lawsuits involving the popular weed killer.
In a 7-2 decision, the court held that pesticide manufacturers cannot be required by state courts to include cancer warnings beyond those approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ruling reverses a Missouri jury verdict that awarded $1.25 million to John Durnell, who alleged his use of Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The case originated after Durnell sued Monsanto, arguing the company failed to warn consumers that glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, could cause cancer. A Missouri jury sided with Durnell in 2023, and the verdict was later upheld by a state appellate court before the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal.
Writing for the majority, the court concluded that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act gives the EPA primary authority over pesticide labeling, preventing individual states from imposing different warning requirements through litigation.
The decision is expected to have broad implications for Bayer, which acquired St. Louis-based Monsanto in 2018. The company continues to face tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging Roundup exposure caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and legal analysts say the ruling could significantly reduce the viability of many remaining failure-to-warn claims.
“Today’s opinion provides important clarity for farmers and the entire agricultural industry, who rely on a predictable, science-based regulatory system to deliver the tools needed to feed, fuel, and clothe the country,” said Modern Ag Alliance Executive Director Elizabeth Burns-Thompson.“Farmers are already carrying enough uncertainty, from tight margins to rising costs, and they should not have to question whether the tools they rely on will remain available.”
The case also arrives as Bayer works to finalize a proposed $7.5 billion nationwide settlement, filed earlier this year in St. Louis Circuit Court, aimed at resolving current and future Roundup claims involving glyphosate exposure.
The Missouri General Assembly has largely held off on advancing legislation addressing Roundup-related lawsuits while awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision. With the ruling now issued, lawmakers could revisit the issue during the upcoming legislative session.
With Thursday’s ruling, the Supreme Court established that compliance with federally approved pesticide labels generally shields manufacturers from state-law claims seeking additional cancer warnings, marking one of the most consequential legal victories for Bayer since it inherited Monsanto’s Roundup litigation.
Jake Kroesen serves as the Editor of the Missouri Times. He hails from Independence, Missouri and enjoys all things Jackson County. A graduate of UCM, he obtained his degree in Political Science.
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