What Is the Monsanto Lawsuit?
The Monsanto lawsuit is a set of separate legal proceedings against Monsanto Company, now owned by Bayer, over its Roundup weed killer, its PCB chemicals and its seed and herbicide businesses. No single docket covers all of them. The largest track is the Roundup cancer litigation, which involves tens of thousands of claims in federal and state courts.
Monsanto makes Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, and manufactured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the United States until 1977. Bayer completed its acquisition of Monsanto in 2018 and has defended and settled these claims since. Monsanto also appears in seed-patent and dicamba crop-drift cases brought by and against farmers.
Monsanto denies that Roundup causes cancer and denies liability in the PCB cases. This page tracks each proceeding separately, and the dedicated Roundup lawsuit page covers the glyphosate cases in more depth.
“Monsanto Company manufactures and distributes Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide designed to control weeds. The EPA has repeatedly evaluated glyphosate and repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer.”
Source: Supreme Court of the United States, Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, No. 24-1068, Syllabus (decided June 25, 2026)
Why Are People Filing Monsanto Lawsuits?
People are filing Monsanto lawsuits because they allege Monsanto's products caused cancer, brain injury and crop loss, and that the company failed to warn users or the public about known risks. Roundup claimants say long-term glyphosate exposure caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015, and that finding fueled a wave of filings.
PCB plaintiffs, including teachers and students at a Washington school, say exposure to PCBs leaking from light fixtures and caulk caused neurological and other illnesses. Farmers bring a third set of claims, alleging that dicamba-tolerant seeds led to herbicide drift that damaged their crops. Monsanto disputes each category, and repeated EPA findings that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer anchor its defense.
What Injuries Are Included in the Monsanto Lawsuit?
The injuries included in the Monsanto lawsuit fall into four categories tied to different products. Each is defined in plain language first, followed by what plaintiffs allege. Which category applies depends on the product involved and the proceeding.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a group of cancers that begin in the white blood cells of the lymphatic system.
Roundup plaintiffs allege years of exposure to glyphosate-based products caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma, often after work in farming, landscaping or groundskeeping. Monsanto and the EPA dispute that glyphosate causes the disease, and juries have ruled both ways across dozens of trials. The Roundup class settlement and federal MDL are both built around this diagnosis.
Neurological Injury
Neurological injury is damage to the brain or nervous system that can affect memory, concentration and movement.
Teachers at Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington, allege PCBs leaking from fluorescent light fixtures caused brain damage. Before suing, they reported cognitive problems and skin cysts. Bayer says undisputed evidence refutes the claims, and Monsanto has not admitted liability in any Sky Valley settlement.
Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system attacks the body's own healthy tissue.
The wider group of Sky Valley plaintiffs, more than 200 students, parents and staff, cite autoimmune disease alongside cancers and miscarriages in their lawsuits. A separate suit filed in October 2025 by North Carolina State University over PCBs in Poe Hall seeks building reconstruction costs rather than personal-injury damages. A federal health hazard evaluation of Poe Hall was under way when the university filed.
Crop Damage From Herbicide Drift
Herbicide drift is the unintended movement of a spray or vapor away from the field where it was applied, which can injure nearby plants that are not tolerant to it.
Bader Farms, a Missouri peach grower, alleged that Monsanto's dicamba-tolerant seeds led neighbors to spray dicamba that drifted onto its orchards. A federal jury awarded $15 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages, and the court later cut the punitive award to $60 million. In July 2022, the Eighth Circuit upheld the compensatory award, vacated the punitive award and ordered a new trial on punitive damages only.
Who Qualifies for the Monsanto Lawsuit?
You may qualify if:
- You used Roundup or another glyphosate-based herbicide regularly over an extended period, whether at work or at home
- You were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or a related blood cancer after that exposure
- You spent significant time in a building with PCB-containing lights or materials and have a medical diagnosis an attorney can connect to that exposure
- You are a farmer or grower whose crops were damaged by dicamba drift from neighboring fields
- Your claim falls within your state's statute of limitations, which a reviewing attorney must confirm for your specific facts
You may not qualify if:
- Your only claim is that Roundup's label lacked a cancer warning, since the Supreme Court's June 2026 Durnell ruling preempts that theory in state court
- You are a member of the Missouri Roundup class and did not opt out by the June 4, 2026 deadline, in which case your claim may be handled through that settlement instead of a new lawsuit
- You were exposed only to a non-Monsanto product, or you have no diagnosed illness or documented loss
- Your state's statute of limitations has already run, which only an attorney reviewing your discovery date can determine
Eligibility depends on the specific product, documented exposure, a supporting diagnosis or loss, and your state's deadlines. Only a qualified attorney reviewing your records can confirm whether any Monsanto claim is still open to you.
What Is the Current Status of the Monsanto Lawsuits?
The current status of the Monsanto lawsuits differs by proceeding, and no single ruling resolves them all. The Roundup class settlement awaits final approval, the federal Roundup MDL is shrinking, and most Washington PCB cases are settled or on appeal.
Missouri Roundup Class Settlement ($7.25 Billion)
The Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, is reviewing a proposed $7.25 billion class settlement of current and future Roundup non-Hodgkin lymphoma claims. Judge Timothy J. Boyer granted preliminary approval on March 4, 2026, and the court held its final approval hearing on September 14, 2026.
Bayer says opt-outs remain revocable until final approval and that the opt-out count will not be confirmed until the judge rules. As of October 26, 2026, a litigation tracker reported that Boyer had not yet issued a final ruling.
| Proceeding Type | Missouri state-court class settlement |
| Court | Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri |
| Judge | Timothy J. Boyer |
| Proposed Amount | $7.25 billion |
| Preliminary Approval | March 4, 2026 |
| Opt-Out and Objection Deadline | June 4, 2026 |
| Final Approval Hearing | September 14, 2026 (held) |
| Status | Awaiting final approval ruling |
Objecting law firms argue the payouts undervalue claims. A federal judge, Henry Edward Autrey, sent the settlement case back to state court on June 17, 2026, and the objecting plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal.
In re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2741
MDL No. 2741 is the federal Roundup docket in the Northern District of California before Judge Vince Chhabria. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation counted 3,932 pending cases on August 3, 2026, 3,925 on September 1 and 1,104 on October 1, out of 5,324 filed since 2016.
The JPML report does not say why the pending count fell by more than 2,800 in one month, and no court order explaining the drop was located. Bayer asked Judge Chhabria after the Durnell ruling to dissolve the MDL, and no ruling on that request was located as of October 30, 2026.
| Proceeding Type | Federal multidistrict litigation, 28 U.S.C. § 1407 |
| Court | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California |
| Judge | Vince Chhabria |
| Pending Cases (Aug. 3, 2026) | 3,932 of 5,322 filed |
| Pending Cases (Sept. 1, 2026) | 3,925 of 5,323 filed |
| Pending Cases (Oct. 1, 2026) | 1,104 of 5,324 filed |
Monsanto Co. v. Durnell (U.S. Supreme Court)
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 for Monsanto on June 25, 2026, holding that federal pesticide law preempts a Missouri failure-to-warn claim that would have required a cancer warning on Roundup's label. Justice Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion, Justice Thomas concurred, and Justice Jackson dissented, joined by Justice Gorsuch.
The ruling reversed a Missouri Court of Appeals judgment, reported at 707 S.W.3d 828, and sent the case back for further proceedings. Plaintiffs' lawyers say they will keep pursuing design defect, negligence and consumer claims that the ruling does not directly address.
| Case | Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, No. 24-1068 |
| Argued | April 27, 2026 |
| Decided | June 25, 2026 |
| Vote | 7-2, majority opinion by Justice Kavanaugh |
| Holding | FIFRA preempts the state failure-to-warn claim at issue |
Sky Valley Education Center PCB Cases (Washington)
More than 200 students, parents and staff of Sky Valley Education Center sued Monsanto in Washington state court over PCB contamination, and Monsanto settled all but nine of the cases in August 2025 on confidential terms. The Washington Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on October 30, 2025 to reinstate a $185 million verdict for three teachers.
In January 2026, the court amended its opinion and returned that case to the trial court after the plaintiffs said the parties had agreed to settle it. The other eight appeals had been on hold pending the Supreme Court's decision, and their current status was not located.
| Proceeding Type | Washington state-court PCB personal-injury cases |
| Location | Sky Valley Education Center, Monroe, Washington |
| Plaintiffs in Wider Group | More than 200 |
| Reinstated Verdict | $185 million (Washington Supreme Court, October 30, 2025) |
| Settlement Terms | Confidential |
Did Monsanto Settle the Lawsuits Against It?
Yes. Monsanto has settled many of the lawsuits against it, and the amounts run from a roughly $10.9 billion Roundup program announced in 2020 to a proposed $7.25 billion class settlement that still awaits final approval.
No single payout applies to every claimant. Outcomes depend on the product, diagnosis, exposure history, state law and the proceeding. Jury verdicts are not settlement values, and only a qualified attorney reviewing your records can estimate a claim.
The proposed Roundup class settlement pays on a tiered basis tied to factors such as age at diagnosis and severity of illness, over an extended multi-year period. Bayer says class members who opted out can still revoke that choice until the court grants final approval.
The Sky Valley PCB settlements are confidential, and Monsanto admitted no liability. Bayer told investors in July 2025 that it had set aside about $618 million for Sky Valley settlements and litigation costs.
Verdicts often shrink before anyone is paid. The 2018 Johnson verdict of $289 million, the first Roundup trial verdict, was reduced on appeal to a judgment of about $20.5 million, according to one litigation tracker.
Monsanto Lawsuit Updates and Case Status
This Monsanto lawsuit update tracks each proceeding as of October 30, 2026. The Missouri Roundup class settlement awaits final approval, the federal Roundup MDL and the Washington PCB cases remain active, and the timeline below lists every confirmed development.
Monsanto Lawsuit Timeline of Events
Roundup Class Settlement Still Awaits a Final Approval Ruling
A litigation tracker reported on October 26, 2026 that Judge Timothy J. Boyer of the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis had not yet granted final approval of the proposed $7.25 billion Roundup class settlement. Monsanto said it does not expect a final opt-out count until the judge rules.
Federal Roundup MDL Count Falls to 1,104 Pending Cases
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's October 1, 2026 report listed 1,104 pending actions in Roundup MDL No. 2741, down from 3,925 on September 1. The report does not explain the drop, and no court order accounting for it was located.
First Post-Durnell Roundup Trial Opens in St. Louis
Opening statements began on September 29, 2026 in Aretino v. Monsanto, a St. Louis County jury trial brought by three plaintiffs with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who opted out of the class settlement. Reporting says the plaintiffs pursue design defect and testing theories rather than failure to warn, and no verdict had been reported as of October 26.
St. Louis Court Holds the Roundup Final Approval Hearing
The Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis held the final approval hearing on Bayer's proposed $7.25 billion Roundup class settlement on September 14, 2026. Judge Boyer took the matter under consideration, and Bayer said a decision would come later and not at the hearing.
Final Approval Hearing Moved From July to September 14
On August 6, 2026, the St. Louis court moved the Roundup class settlement's final approval hearing to September 14. Bayer said the delay gave the settlement administrator about three more weeks to process opt-out revocation requests filed after the Supreme Court's Durnell decision.
JPML Counts 3,932 Pending Cases in the Roundup MDL
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's August 3, 2026 report listed 3,932 pending actions in Roundup MDL No. 2741, out of 5,322 filed since the docket began in 2016.
Supreme Court Rules 7-2 for Monsanto in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell
The U.S. Supreme Court held that FIFRA expressly preempts Missouri plaintiff John Durnell's state-law failure-to-warn claim over Roundup's missing cancer warning. Justice Kavanaugh wrote for the Court, and Justices Jackson and Gorsuch dissented.
Federal Judge Returns the Roundup Settlement Case to Missouri State Court
U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey in St. Louis ruled that objecting plaintiffs could not remove the Roundup class settlement case to federal court, since only a defendant has that right. The objectors filed a notice of appeal the same day.
Opt-Out and Objection Deadline Passes in the Roundup Class Settlement
Class members had until June 4, 2026 to opt out of, or object to, Bayer's proposed $7.25 billion Roundup class settlement in the St. Louis court. Opt-outs can reportedly still be revoked until final approval.
Missouri Court Grants Preliminary Approval to the $7.25 Billion Settlement
Judge Timothy J. Boyer of the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis granted preliminary approval to a class settlement of current and future Roundup non-Hodgkin lymphoma claims, valued at about $7.25 billion.
Washington Supreme Court Amends Its Opinion in the $185 Million PCB Case
The Washington Supreme Court posted a note on January 27, 2026 amending its opinion and returning the Sky Valley teachers' PCB case to the trial court, after the plaintiffs said the parties had reached an agreement to settle it.
Washington Supreme Court Reinstates a $185 Million PCB Verdict
The Washington Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reinstate a $185 million jury verdict for three Sky Valley Education Center teachers who said PCB exposure from light fixtures caused brain damage. The judgment includes punitive damages, which the court allowed by applying Missouri law.
North Carolina State University Sues Monsanto Over PCBs in Poe Hall
North Carolina State University sued Monsanto in Wake County Superior Court, alleging the company supplied the PCB-containing mixtures used to build Poe Hall in 1971 and sold them as non-toxic. The university seeks reconstruction costs, legal fees and punitive damages, and Monsanto said the claims lack merit.
Monsanto Settles With More Than 200 Sky Valley Plaintiffs
News outlets reported that Monsanto settled the Sky Valley PCB lawsuits for more than 200 students, parents and staff on confidential terms, leaving nine cases unsettled. Monsanto did not admit liability.
Eighth Circuit Vacates Punitive Award in the Bader Farms Dicamba Case
The Eighth Circuit upheld the compensatory damages in Bader Farms' dicamba drift case against Monsanto but vacated the punitive award and ordered a new trial limited to punitive damages.
Bayer Announces a Roughly $10.9 Billion Roundup Settlement Program
Bayer announced it would pay up to roughly $10.9 billion to resolve then-pending Roundup cancer claims and a portion of future ones, a program that left tens of thousands of cases unresolved.
A San Francisco Jury Awards $289 Million in the First Roundup Trial
A California jury ordered Monsanto to pay $289 million to groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, the first Roundup cancer case to reach a verdict. Monsanto appealed, and the award was later reduced.
Bayer Completes Its Acquisition of Monsanto
Bayer completed its purchase of Monsanto Company, which it first agreed to buy in 2016, and took over the company's pending litigation.
IARC Classifies Glyphosate as Probably Carcinogenic to Humans
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. The EPA and other regulators have since concluded that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer.
Supreme Court Rules Unanimously for Monsanto in Bowman v. Monsanto
The Supreme Court held that patent exhaustion did not allow Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman to replicate patented Roundup Ready soybeans by planting and saving seed without Monsanto's permission.
How to File a Monsanto Lawsuit
These 5 steps outline how to file a Monsanto lawsuit.
- Identify which Monsanto product applies: Roundup, PCB-containing building materials and dicamba-tolerant seeds each have their own courts, deadlines and legal theories.
- Check your status in the Roundup class settlement: The class reportedly covers people exposed before February 17, 2026, and the opt-out deadline was June 4, 2026, so confirm with the settlement administrator whether your claim runs through that deal.
- Gather your medical records: A confirmed diagnosis, such as a pathology report for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, along with the diagnosis date, is the core of any injury claim.
- Collect your exposure evidence: Purchase receipts, employment or school records, photographs and witness statements help show where and how you were exposed.
- Consult a mass-tort attorney: An attorney can confirm whether your claim survives the Durnell ruling, whether your state's statute of limitations has run, and which court is the right place to file.
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What Evidence Do I Need for a Monsanto Lawsuit?
The evidence you need for a Monsanto lawsuit is documentation linking your specific product exposure to a diagnosed illness or measurable loss. For Roundup claims, that usually means purchase receipts, employment or application records, and a pathology report confirming non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
PCB claims depend on proof of time spent in a contaminated building, such as school or employment records, plus testing of the lights, caulk or air. Dicamba drift claims rely on field records, planting dates, crop-loss photographs and testing that shows herbicide injury patterns.
In every category, medical records and expert opinion on causation carry the most weight. Only a qualified attorney can say which records a specific claim needs.
What Did Monsanto Allegedly Know About Its Products' Risks?
Monsanto allegedly knew about its products' risks for decades and did not warn users, according to plaintiffs across the Roundup and PCB litigation. Monsanto denies this and says the scientific evidence refutes the claims.
Roundup plaintiffs point to internal Monsanto documents released in discovery, often called the Monsanto Papers, which a public-interest group has posted online. The company says regulators worldwide, including the EPA, have found glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer.
In the PCB cases, plaintiffs allege Monsanto kept selling PCBs after learning of their toxicity. Bayer says that across 10 Sky Valley trials, juries sided with Monsanto or hung for 31 of the 80 people tried.
| Proceeding | Result | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson v. Monsanto (Roundup) | Jury verdict for plaintiff, $289 million, later reduced | 2018 |
| Bader Farms v. Monsanto (dicamba) | Compensatory award upheld, punitive award vacated by the Eighth Circuit | 2022 |
| Sky Valley teachers' PCB case (Washington) | $185 million verdict reinstated 6-3, then returned for settlement | 2025 |
| Monsanto Co. v. Durnell (U.S. Supreme Court) | 7-2 ruling for Monsanto on FIFRA preemption | 2026 |
How Does the Monsanto Lawsuit Compare to Related Cases?
The Monsanto lawsuit compares to related cases mainly by product, court and legal theory, since Monsanto faces several unconnected proceedings. A plain label for each avoids confusing them.
Monsanto also appears as a plaintiff. In Bowman v. Monsanto, decided May 13, 2013, the Supreme Court unanimously held that patent exhaustion did not let a farmer replicate patented Roundup Ready soybeans without permission. The Roundup personal-injury cases have their own page, linked above.
| Case | What It's About | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bowman v. Monsanto | Seed-patent suit by Monsanto against an Indiana soybean farmer | Decided for Monsanto, May 2013 |
| North Carolina State University v. Monsanto | Building reconstruction costs after PCBs were found in Poe Hall | Filed October 2025, no ruling located |
| Bader Farms v. Monsanto | Dicamba drift damage to a Missouri peach orchard | Punitive award vacated, July 2022 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Monsanto lawsuit about?
The Monsanto lawsuit is a group of separate proceedings against Monsanto Company, now owned by Bayer, over Roundup cancer claims, PCB exposure and dicamba crop damage. Each proceeding has its own court, plaintiffs and legal theory, and Monsanto denies liability in all of them.
Is the Monsanto lawsuit a class action or an MDL?
The Monsanto lawsuit is neither one single class action nor one single MDL. Roundup federal cases sit in MDL No. 2741 before Judge Vince Chhabria, a $7.25 billion Roundup class settlement is under review in St. Louis, and the PCB cases are individual Washington state-court suits.
Did the Supreme Court end the Monsanto Roundup lawsuits?
No, the Supreme Court did not end the Monsanto Roundup lawsuits. Its 7-2 ruling in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell on June 25, 2026 blocked failure-to-warn claims over the missing cancer warning, but plaintiffs' lawyers say design defect and other theories remain, and the class settlement and federal MDL continue.
Has Monsanto settled the Roundup lawsuits?
Monsanto has settled many Roundup lawsuits but not all of them. A roughly $10.9 billion program was announced in 2020, and a proposed $7.25 billion class settlement awaits Judge Timothy J. Boyer's final approval after a September 14, 2026 hearing.
Can I still file a Monsanto lawsuit?
You may still be able to file a Monsanto lawsuit, but it depends on the product, your diagnosis, your state's statute of limitations and whether the Roundup class settlement covers you. The opt-out deadline in that settlement was June 4, 2026, and only a qualified attorney can confirm your options.
Is the Monsanto PCB lawsuit the same as the Roundup lawsuit?
No, the Monsanto PCB lawsuit is a different matter from the Roundup lawsuit. The PCB cases, including the Sky Valley school cases in Washington, involve industrial chemicals in building materials, while the Roundup cases involve the glyphosate weed killer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Is the Monsanto lawsuit the same as a Bayer lawsuit?
The Monsanto lawsuit and Bayer lawsuits overlap, because Bayer completed its acquisition of Monsanto in 2018 and now defends these claims. Monsanto Company remains the named defendant in the Roundup and PCB cases described on this page.