Additional Costs and Supreme Court Stakes
Beyond the proposed $7.25 billion deal, Bayer expects to pay another $3 billion in separate Roundup-related matters, including claims brought by several U.S. states involving allegations connected to so-called “forever chemicals.”
The settlement proposal comes as Bayer seeks a favorable ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in a separate but related case. That dispute centers on whether federal regulatory approval of Roundup preempts stricter state-level labeling requirements.
During a question-and-answer session about the settlement, Anderson declined to speculate on whether the agreement would proceed if Bayer were to lose before the high court.
Late last year, the Trump administration filed a brief supporting Bayer’s position — a move that buoyed the company’s share price as investors interpreted it as improving the firm’s legal prospects.
For Bayer, the stakes are existential as much as financial. The company is attempting to draw a definitive line under a legal saga that has lingered like a shadow over its balance sheet and reputation — a battle not only over billions of dollars, but over science, regulation and corporate responsibility.
