U.S. Supreme Court bars state cancer warnings for Roundup pesticide

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7‑2 decision in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, holding that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) expressly preempts state‑law failure‑to‑warn claims that would require additional cancer warnings on Roundup labels. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that EPA‑approved labeling constitutes the uniform federal standard, and allowing state juries to demand extra warnings would undermine that regime.

The ruling protects pesticide manufacturers from state lawsuits seeking label changes not supported by the EPA, which has repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is not likely carcinogenic when used as directed. While the decision settles a legal question, it does not resolve the ongoing scientific debate over glyphosate’s health risks, leaving future label modifications to the federal regulatory process.