FILE - Containers of Roundup are displayed on a store shelf in San Francisco, Feb. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)
A Missouri state court has granted preliminary approval to a proposed $7.3 billion settlement aimed at resolving thousands of lawsuits alleging that Bayer’s Roundup herbicide caused cancer. DTN reports the order from the Missouri Circuit Court in St. Louis allows the company to begin notifying potential claimants nationwide and sets a July 9 fairness hearing to determine whether the settlement will receive final approval.
As part of the preliminary ruling, Bayer must deposit $500 million into the settlement fund within 10 business days. The proposed settlement, announced in February, is intended to compensate current and future plaintiffs who claim Roundup exposure caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The agreement also establishes a long-term program for handling future claims.
Attorneys representing plaintiffs said the ruling is an important step toward compensation for victims after years of litigation. Bayer officials said the settlement is part of a broader strategy to resolve ongoing legal challenges tied to the herbicide.
The settlement process will now move through a notice period before the court decides whether to grant final approval later this year.
NAFB news service
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