Shares in German biotech company Bayer jumped more than 9% in Frankfurt on Tuesday morning following a show of support from the US government in the company’s long-running legal battle over its Roundup weedkiller.
The Trump administration urged the US Supreme Court to consider Bayer’s appeal against a $1.25 million jury verdict in Missouri, part of a broader effort to resolve tens of thousands of similar cases across the United States. Bayer faces over 67,000 lawsuits alleging that Roundup causes cancer, claims the company denies. The product contains glyphosate, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
US Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed a brief on Monday recommending that the Supreme Court hear Bayer’s appeal. He argued that federal law should take precedence over state rulings in cases involving pesticide regulation, pointing out that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has repeatedly determined glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer and has approved Roundup labels without cancer warnings. “Upholding the Missouri verdict would undermine the authority of the federal EPA,” Sauer wrote.
The case in Missouri stems from a 2023 jury ruling in favor of John Durnell, who claimed his diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was linked to Roundup exposure. Durnell’s legal team argued that Bayer failed to properly warn consumers of potential risks. Bayer contends that federal regulations protect its products and that state-level rulings should not override national standards.
Bayer CEO Bill Anderson welcomed the government’s backing, calling it “an important step” for US farmers who rely on regulatory clarity. He emphasized that the outcome has broader economic implications, affecting both innovation and investment in agriculture.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide by January whether to review Bayer’s appeal. The case highlights the tension between state-level court decisions and federal oversight of agricultural chemicals, an issue the Court has been asked to address since June.
Bayer acquired Roundup through its 2018 takeover of Monsanto. While the company began replacing the home-use version of Roundup with a non-glyphosate formula in 2022, it has already paid more than $10 billion in settlements and court awards related to the product.
The legal developments coincide with ongoing debate in the US over pesticide use. Initiatives such as the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have criticized the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries for contributing to public health risks. However, the EPA continues to approve pesticide products, including glyphosate-based weedkillers, creating tension between public health advocates and regulatory authorities.
For Bayer, a Supreme Court review could shape not only the future of its Roundup liabilities but also the broader regulatory landscape for agricultural chemicals in the United States, affecting both producers and farmers nationwide.
