Ads purporting to support Missouri farmers seek to rally support for new state bills that would block lawsuits against pesticide companies accused of failing to warn consumers about cancer risks.
In short:
- House Bill 544 and Senate Bill 14 would prevent lawsuits claiming pesticide labels failed to warn users about cancer risks if the label was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- The legislation follows a $1.5 billion jury award to plaintiffs who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after prolonged exposure to Roundup, which contains glyphosate.
- While Bayer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deny glyphosate’s link to cancer, court challenges and scientific studies have presented evidence to the contrary.
Key quote:
"The evidence was overwhelming that Bayer knew the dangers that this product could cause people."
— Matt Clement, personal injury attorney
Why this matters:
Roundup, the glyphosate-based herbicide that has become nearly synonymous with industrial agriculture, remains deeply entrenched in American farming. At the heart of this controversy is the growing body of litigation alleging that long-term exposure to Roundup can lead to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other health conditions. Over 100,000 people have filed lawsuits against Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, the original manufacturer, in 2018. While the company has paid billions in settlements, Roundup itself remains on store shelves and in crop rows across the country.
Recent efforts in Missouri to shield pesticide manufacturers like Bayer from lawsuits are not the only state legislative effort to do so. It reflects a broader strategy within the chemical industry: using preemption laws to limit liability and deflect responsibility for growing public health concerns.
Read more:
- Bayer pushes U.S. Supreme Court to block cancer lawsuits tied to Roundup weedkiller
- Iowa lawmakers reject bill shielding pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits
- North Dakota lawmakers back bill to protect pesticide companies from liability
- Bayer pushes for legal shield from Roundup cancer lawsuits in states and Congress
- Tennessee delays vote on bill shielding Roundup from cancer lawsuits
