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There is mounting evidence that the use of certain agricultural products is tied to serious health risks, such as cancer. Lawsuits against major agrochemical companies have accompanied these revelations, leading to major drops in shares and significant financial settlements. These lawsuits have accompanied calls to review safety standards and issue regulations suitable to the use of these products.
So, will toxic products continue to receive free rein? Click on to find out more.
Monsanto is an American company (since acquired) infamous for its predatory businesses practices that have disrupted traditional agricultural practices in countries like India, in particular due to its aggressive positions on the patenting, use, and dependency of their GMO seeds and chemical products.
Monsanto is also infamous for its contribution to environmental issues, particularly pertaining to its effects on biodiversity.
In addition, it is also known for its sale of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and chemical products, particularly the herbicide Roundup.
Roundup is a controversial product that contains the active ingredient glyphosate, a carcinogenic, with lawsuits asserting that exposure to the chemical has caused cancer, particularly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The product was developed in the 1970s as a herbicide, or rather weed killer. It grew in popularity due to its effectiveness, and became the most used herbicide in the world.
Monsanto also developed seeds that were resistant to glyphosate, ensuring that farmers that use the weed killer weren’t risking destroying their crops.
A 2015 study by the World Health Organization claimed that products with glyphosate were likely carcinogenic.
In 2018, Monsanto was acquired by German life science company Bayer. The company hoped to strengthen profits from the agricultural sector, but it has now taken on a number of the legal challenges that Monsanto is facing.
Short of five months following Monsanto’s acquisition, the wave of lawsuits that Monsanto has faced has been unrelentless.
Over 100,000 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer and Monsanto, both federal and class action lawsuits, regarding the Roundup product, with the number set to increase.
The thousands of lawsuits have been filed by agricultural users of all levels, including home gardeners and professional farmers.
Individuals filing the lawsuits claim that they were exposed to Roundup and other products containing glyphosate, and were subsequently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
A 2019 study found that those that used glyphosate products, including Roundup, were over 40% more likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
The first lawsuit filed on this matter was in California, with the claim that exposure to the product led to the development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The plaintiff was awarded US$78 million in damages.
An additional US$11 billion has been subsequently awarded following similar legal action suits.
Despite the well-documented allegations surrounding glyphosate-based herbicides, Bayer’s agricultural sales increased by 1% in 2024 just from the sales of these products, particularly in North America.
Despite the billions Bayer has paid in lawsuit settlements, the company continues to sell these dangerous products and not confirm claims regarding the products’ adverse effects.
In October 2024, the city of Los Angeles also reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Monsanto/Bayer following claims that the company’s products containing polychlorinated biphenyls contaminated local waterways, despite being aware of this risk.
The majority of the products containing polychlorinated biphenyls were used in floor-cleaning products and paint.
While products containing these chemical compounds were banned in America only in 1979 due to the health risks and environmental toxicities, Monsanto was already aware of the effects as early as 1937.
A similar lawsuit was settled by the city of Seattle in July 2024, alleging the pollution of the city’s drainage system. The state of Washington, also reached a similar settlement over the same issue in 2020.
In November 2022, approximately 2,500 local governments sued Monsanto/Bayer for similar damages, resulting in a US$650 million settlement.
Bayer, the largest company in the German pharmaceutical industry, is facing serious consequences since its acquisition of Monsanto. In 2022, it recorded a loss of about US$4.9 billion due to its agricultural division.
By September 2023, the company’s financial debt exceeded its value on the stock market by over US$6.5 billion. In October 2024, Bayer’s shares dropped 7% due to Monsanto’s products and the lawsuits surrounding the use, primarily, of Roundup.
Activists and critics continue to push for policy reforms, acknowledgement of harm by the company, as well as products that are safe for human use, that do not negatively impact biodiversity, and that prioritize sustainable agricultural interventions.
Yet, activists and critics of Monsanto have also been targeted in what the Australian Broadcasting Company considered "dark tactics of the pro-chemical lobby."
Monsanto’s former director of corporate communication, Jay Byrne, launched a social network initiative called Bonus Eventus, a media-monitoring service for the chemical lobby.
Bonus Eventus contains the personal information of over 500 critics of the agrochemical industry, including academics, scientists, lawyers, and journalists.
Approximately 25% of the site’s members are either former or present employees of large agrochemical companies. Others include government officials, scientists, and agricultural regulators.
Sources: (Bayer) (JD Supra) (CNBC) (AP News) (Lawsuit Information Center) (Reuters) (DW) (Fortune) (The Guardian)
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Rise in lawsuits over harmful agricultural products
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There is mounting evidence that the use of certain agricultural products is tied to serious health risks, such as cancer. Lawsuits against major agrochemical companies have accompanied these revelations, leading to major drops in shares and significant financial settlements. These lawsuits have accompanied calls to review safety standards and issue regulations suitable to the use of these products.
So, will toxic products continue to receive free rein? Click on to find out more.