Roundup case fails to make cut at SCOTUS

The U.S. Supreme Court is not taking the appeal of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto.

The first federal Roundup case tried before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco, Hardeman v. Monsanto, returned a jury award of $80 million, which was subsequently reduced to $25 by the judge.

Along with another 1,600 plaintiff lawsuits, Edwin Hardeman claimed it was exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide and its active ingredient glyphosate that caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) illnesses.

As one of the early Roundup cases, agriculture groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, and National Cotton Council, wanted Hardeman reviewed by the high court.  

The agriculture community is primarily concerned about how the Hardeman case pertains to state glyphosate health warnings:

However, the U.S. Supreme Court has now denied the writ of certiorari petition to hear the case Monsanto v. Hardeman, which pertains to state glyphosate health warnings:

“We are disappointed the Supreme Court has decided not to hear this case, which has significant implications for our global food supply and science-based regulation,” said the ag groups in a jointly released statement.”With the conflict in Ukraine threatening food security around the world and the persistent dangers posed by climate change, too much is on the line to allow the emergence of an unscientific patchwork of state pesticide labels that would threaten grower access to tools needed for productive, sustainable farming. We will be discussing the implications of the court’s announcement and will determine what reforms may be needed to ensure a patchwork of state labels does not jeopardize grower access to these vital tools or science-based pesticide regulation.”

On May 23, the groups sent a letter signed by 54 agricultural groups to President Biden urging him to withdraw a Solicitor General’s brief submitted to the Supreme Court advising against taking up the case. In a disturbing departure from previous bipartisan administrative policy, the Solicitor General’s brief argues that federal pesticide registration and labeling requirements do not preclude states from imposing additional labeling requirements, even if those requirements run counter to federal findings. The groups will be considering today’s decision and what additional reforms may be needed to prevent a patchwork of state labeling requirements from disrupting commerce and undermining science-based pesticide regulation.

The American Soybean Association represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 500,000 soybean farmers. More information at soygrowers.com.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is the nation’s largest general farm organization with member families in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Learn more at fb.org.

The National Cotton Council, based in Memphis, serves as the unifying force in working with policymakers to ensure cotton’s interests are heard. The NCC’s mission is ensuring the industry’s ability to compete more effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed, and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad. More at cotton.org.

Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association represents nearly 40,000 dues-paying corn farmers nationwide and the interests of more than 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its state organizations work together to create and increase opportunities for corn growers. For more information, visit ncga.com.

The National Association of Wheat Growers is the primary policy representative in Washington, D.C., for wheat growers, working to ensure a better future for America’s growers, the industry and the general public. NAWG works with a team of 20 state wheat grower organizations to benefit the wheat industry at the national level. From their offices on Capitol Hill, NAWG’s staff members are in constant contact with state association representatives, NAWG grower leaders, Members of Congress, Congressional staff members, Administration officials, and the public. More at wheatworld.org

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