Monsanto wins landmark Roundup™ case at U.S. Supreme Court
Ruling should help significantly contain litigation by preempting conflicting state-law- based warning claims
Decision provides regulatory clarity for crop input producers, American farmers and consumers, and enhances food security and affordability
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7:2 landmark ruling in the Durnell Roundup™ case on Thursday, affirming that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) expressly preempts state-law-based failure-to-warn claims when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a definitive determination on product safety. This decision, which reflects strong support across the ideological spectrum of the Court, helps to bring significant containment to the Roundup™ litigation. Glyphosate remains the most studied crop protection tool in the world and this decision affirms that the EPA’s safety determination is the law of the land, ensuring that companies cannot be punished under a patchwork of state tort laws for complying with federal labeling requirements.
“This decision is good for American farmers who help feed the world. It provides the regulatory clarity necessary for innovators like us to develop the agricultural tools that guarantee an affordable food supply,” said Bayer CEO Bill Anderson. "This litigation has enormous costs for the company and has impacted public trust. The decision brings overdue justice on an issue that should have been clarified much earlier. It’s time to put it behind us. Strengthened by this ruling, we continue to pursue our multi-pronged containment strategy, which includes the previously announced class settlement.”
