News

Bayer disappointed in appeals court verdict in Roundup lawsuit

Bayer says it’s disappointed with a California federal appeals court decision Friday that upholds the verdict on its glyphosate product Roundup.

The plaintiff in the case contended that Roundup caused his cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and he was initially awarded $80 Million dollars but that was later cut to $25 Million.

Bayer, in a statement to Brownfield Ag News, says they believe the 9^th Circuit decision is wrong because the EPA has determined that a cancer warning for Roundup is not warranted and is improper.

Bayer says it will pursue all legal options including asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a review. Amid numerous on-going lawsuits, Bayer says it continues to stand strongly behind the safety of Roundup.

This is the second appeal lost by Bayer amid three high profile Roundup cases it lost.

Last fall, Bayer told Brownfield it was committed to settling all pending lawsuits.

Full Statement from Bayer:

“We are disappointed with the Court’s decision as the verdict in this case is not supported by the evidence at trial or the law. In particular, we believe the 9th Circuit decision is wrong on the issue of federal preemption as it is not possible for Monsanto to comply with federal law under which EPA has determined that a cancer warning is unwarranted and improper, and also comply with state law failure-to-warn claims seeking the very cancer warning EPA forbids. The company will pursue all legal options, including petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review this case. “

 “We continue to stand strongly behind the safety of Roundup™, a position supported by four decades of extensive science and the assessments of leading health regulators worldwide that support its safe use.”