US Supreme Court blocks state‑law cancer warnings in Roundup case

On June 25 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7‑2 ruling that federal pesticide law preempts state‑law claims that Bayer’s Roundup failed to warn consumers of cancer risks. Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) gives the EPA exclusive authority over pesticide labeling, and that state courts cannot impose additional warning requirements. The decision halts many pending lawsuits and is expected to sharply reduce Bayer’s exposure to thousands of claims tied to the glyphosate‑based herbicide.

The Court overturned a Missouri jury verdict that had awarded $1.25 million to a plaintiff who linked Roundup exposure to non‑Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer welcomed the ruling as a victory for regulatory certainty, while consumer‑health advocates warned it limits avenues for redress and could set a precedent for other pesticide manufacturers. The EPA has not classified glyphosate as a carcinogen and has never required a cancer‑warning label on Roundup products.

The ruling reshapes the legal landscape for pesticide litigation, affecting farmers, consumers and the broader agrochemical industry.