Roundup, the world’s most widely used herbicide, contains glyphosate — a chemical the World Health Organization classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015. Monsanto, which created Roundup, was acquired by Bayer in 2018. Internal documents revealed Monsanto knew of cancer risks but chose to suppress the science and attack independent researchers. Juries have awarded billions in damages, and Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements.
Litigation Timeline
Bayer Proposes $7.25B New Settlement
Bayer proposes an additional $7.25 billion settlement to resolve approximately 55,000 remaining Roundup claims not covered by the 2020 settlement, bringing total settlement costs above $18 billion.
settlementSupreme Court Denies Bayer Cert Petition
The U.S. Supreme Court denies Bayer’s petition for certiorari on the question of whether federal pesticide labeling law preempts state failure-to-warn claims. This closes Bayer’s strongest legal strategy for ending the litigation.
regulatoryBayer Announces $10.9B Settlement
Bayer announces a $10.9 billion settlement framework to resolve approximately 100,000 pending Roundup claims and establish a fund for future claims. The settlement does not include an admission of liability.
settlementPilliod v. Monsanto: $2.055 Billion Verdict
An Alameda County, California jury awards Alva and Alberta Pilliod $2.055 billion (later reduced to $86.7 million on appeal) after both were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma following decades of Roundup use on their property.
verdictHardeman v. Monsanto: First Federal Verdict ($80M)
A federal jury in the Northern District of California awards Edwin Hardeman $80.27 million after finding that Roundup was a substantial factor in causing his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This is the first federal bellwether trial in MDL 2741.
verdictJohnson v. Monsanto: First Verdict ($289M)
A San Francisco jury awards school groundskeeper Dewayne "Lee" Johnson $289 million (later reduced to $20.5 million on appeal) after finding Monsanto liable for his terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is the first Roundup cancer case to go to trial.
verdictCalifornia Proposition 65 Listing
California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) adds glyphosate to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, requiring cancer warning labels on Roundup products sold in the state.
regulatoryIARC Classifies Glyphosate as Probable Carcinogen
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization, classifies glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) based on evidence from animal studies, human epidemiology, and mechanistic data.
regulatoryRoundup Ready GMO Crops Launched
Monsanto introduces genetically modified "Roundup Ready" soybeans, engineered to survive direct glyphosate application. This innovation drives a massive increase in Roundup usage as farmers can spray entire fields without killing their crops.
product-launchMonsanto Patents Roundup Herbicide
Monsanto patents glyphosate as a herbicide and begins marketing Roundup. The product rapidly becomes the world’s most widely used weed killer, eventually applied to farms, lawns, parks, and roadsides across the globe.
product-launchNotable Verdicts & Settlements
Johnson v. Monsanto (San Francisco Superior Court)
Jury VerdictSchool groundskeeper Dewayne "Lee" Johnson, diagnosed with terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma after years of spraying Roundup at work, won the first Roundup cancer trial. The jury found Monsanto liable for failing to warn of cancer risks and awarded $289 million, later reduced to $20.5 million by the trial judge. The verdict triggered a wave of litigation and a 10% single-day decline in Bayer stock.
Hardeman v. Monsanto (N.D. California)
Jury VerdictEdwin Hardeman, who used Roundup on his property for decades, was awarded $80.27 million by a federal jury in the first federal bellwether trial in MDL 2741. The jury unanimously found that Roundup was a substantial factor in causing Hardeman’s NHL and that Monsanto failed to warn consumers of the cancer risk.
Pilliod v. Monsanto (Alameda County Superior Court)
Jury VerdictMarried couple Alva and Alberta Pilliod, both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup on their property for over 30 years, were awarded $2.055 billion by an Alameda County jury — including $2 billion in punitive damages. The verdict was later reduced to $86.7 million on appeal but remains one of the largest Roundup awards.
Georgia Roundup Verdict (April 2025)
Jury VerdictA Georgia jury awarded $2.1 billion to a plaintiff diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after extensive Roundup exposure — the largest individual Roundup verdict to date. The verdict came after the Supreme Court declined to hear Bayer’s preemption defense, signaling continued legal exposure for the company.
2026 $7.25B Settlement Proposal
SettlementBayer proposed an additional $7.25 billion settlement in February 2026 to resolve approximately 55,000 remaining Roundup claims not covered by the original $10.9 billion settlement. If approved, this would bring total Roundup settlement costs above $18 billion. The settlement is expected to use a tiered compensation structure based on diagnosis severity and exposure evidence.
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