Bayer/Monsanto: Glyphosate Ruling in the US Sends a Strong Signal
Monsanto wins the first glyphosate case unanimously following the landmark decision by the US Supreme Court in June.
In the case of Theresa Aretino et al., a Missouri court ruled unanimously in favor of Monsanto. This was the first case involving Roundup (active ingredient: glyphosate) to be heard in court since the landmark US Supreme Court ruling in the Durnell case.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, which had barred claims based on alleged insufficient warning labels (“failure to warn”), the three plaintiffs pursued three causes of action: alleged fundamental defects in the product (“design defect”), intentional deception (“fraud”), and negligence. According to Monsanto’s parent company, Bayer, the Missouri court’s ruling shows that, following the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision, the plaintiffs are unable to present evidence supporting alternative causes of action.
“We welcome the jury’s decision. It confirms that, in the Roundup litigation, there is no evidence to support the claims of alleged design defects, fraud, or negligence,” said Bill Dodero, who heads the legal department in the US and the Litigation division. “This verdict should send a strong signal to plaintiffs who still intend to go to court even after the Supreme Court’s ruling. There are significant hurdles to doing so, both in terms of the grounds for the claims and the evidence presented in court.”
First Trial Since the Durnell Case
In June 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled in the Durnell case that federal law (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, FIFRA) precludes claims based on state law if the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has clearly confirmed a product’s safety. The central basis for the claims in the Roundup litigation was the alleged lack of warning labels. Since this basis for the claim has now been eliminated, the plaintiffs in the Aretino case had relied on claims alleging fundamental product defects (“design defect”) and negligence (“negligence”). Since the Supreme Court’s decision, a court has examined these grounds for the lawsuit for the first time in the current proceedings.
The Safety of Glyphosate
Glyphosate is one of the most extensively studied pesticides in agriculture. Scientific studies overwhelmingly confirm that glyphosate-based herbicides are safe when used properly—and this is also the consensus among regulatory agencies. For example, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has repeatedly and unequivocally determined that Roundup is not likely to be carcinogenic and has approved the product labels accordingly without warning labels.
Bayer remains committed to the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides and will continue to vigorously defend these products in the remaining legal disputes. These crop protection products are essential for agriculture and the production of affordable food.
