Supreme Court sides with Monsanto in case over cancer risks from weedkiller Roundup

Key Points:

• The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that Monsanto cannot be held liable under state laws for failing to warn consumers about alleged cancer risks of Roundup, citing federal law (FIFRA) that preempts state pesticide labeling lawsuits.
• The EPA has deemed Roundup safe and does not require a cancer warning on its label, and federal law mandates Monsanto use EPA-approved labeling unless otherwise directed by the EPA.
• The ruling is expected to block thousands of lawsuits claiming Monsanto failed to warn about Roundup's cancer risks, stemming from allegations that glyphosate, Roundup's key ingredient, causes cancer such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, welcomed the decision as beneficial for regulatory clarity and innovation and plans to continue seeking approval for a $7.25 billion class settlement to resolve current and future Roundup claims.
• The case was supported by the Trump administration, which argued that EPA has sole authority over pesticide labeling, and follows a broader political context where federal policy has aimed to support glyphosate production for agricultural productivity.