US Supreme Court hears Bayer bid to end Roundup weedkiller suits

The US Supreme Court heard Bayer's appeal seeking to shield itself from state Roundup lawsuits by arguing that federal pesticide labeling preempts state warning requirements. Bayer's Paul Clement argued that glyphosate has been extensively studied and that there is no risk, stressing the need for uniform labeling. Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Harris highlighted the importance of uniform federal standards and warned that allowing each state to determine warnings would undermine labeling consistency. Ashley Keller, representing plaintiff John Durnell, argued that EPA analyses should not be the final word and that regulators can miss issues. The case is one of thousands of failure-to-warn lawsuits facing Bayer, and the court is expected to issue a ruling by June or early July.

Bayer has spent more than $10 billion to settle litigation linked to Roundup since acquiring Monsanto in 2018.

Bayer completes the acquisition of Monsanto, the producer of Roundup, a move that ties Bayer to the litigation surrounding the weedkiller.