Bayer AG and its subsidiary Monsanto have unveiled a sweeping proposed settlement worth up to $7.25 billion aimed at resolving thousands of claims alleging that exposure to the weed killer Roundup caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The agreement, filed in Missouri state court in St. Louis, would create a long-term compensation program covering both current plaintiffs and individuals who may be diagnosed in the future. The plan requires court approval before it can take effect.
Under the proposal, the settlement fund would be paid out over as many as 21 years through capped annual contributions that gradually decline over time. Individuals diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma before final approval — or within 16 years afterward — would be eligible to seek compensation through the program.
The class settlement is part of a broader legal strategy tied to a pending U.S. Supreme Court case, Monsanto Company v. Durnell. That case could determine whether federal pesticide labeling law overrides state-law claims alleging that Roundup failed to carry adequate cancer warnings. A ruling in Monsanto’s favor could significantly limit future lawsuits.
Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said the combined approach — the proposed settlement and the Supreme Court review — offers a path toward resolving long-running litigation that has weighed heavily on the company since it acquired Monsanto in 2018. Bayer purchased Monsanto for $63 billion, inheriting a growing wave of claims related to glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient.
Plaintiffs allege that glyphosate exposure caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that Monsanto failed to properly warn users of potential risks. The company has consistently denied that Roundup causes cancer, citing regulatory assessments that have found the product safe when used as directed.
Attorneys involved in negotiating the proposed settlement say the program is designed to address the reality that more than 40,000 Roundup cases are either pending in court or covered by tolling agreements, with additional claims continuing to be filed. They argue that the settlement provides a structured, predictable framework for compensation while preserving claimants’ right to opt out and pursue individual lawsuits if they choose.
The proposed agreement would replace an earlier attempt in 2020 to create a shorter-term resolution program that ultimately failed to gain approval.
Litigation over Roundup has resulted in several high-profile jury verdicts against Monsanto. In recent years, juries in multiple states have awarded substantial damages to plaintiffs, though some verdicts were later reduced on appeal. In 2024, Bayer also resolved a Georgia case following a multibillion-dollar jury award earlier in the proceedings.
Beyond Roundup, Monsanto has faced additional legal exposure over other legacy products, including disputes related to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
The proposed nationwide class settlement now awaits judicial review. If approved, payments to eligible claimants could begin in 2026, potentially marking a significant turning point in one of the largest and most closely watched mass-tort battles in recent years.
