Big Roundup Update: Glyphosate Out, Big Bucks to Settle Lawsuits In

So there is some big news on the ‘Monsanto-Now-Bayer-Chemical’ “Roundup Weedkiller with Glyphosate” front. First, the cost in litigation to Bayer Chemical, the not-so-savvy 2018 purchaser of Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller (quite possibly the worst business purchase decision in modern history*) is estimated to top $16 Billion (yep, with a “B”) dollars**. Bayer had already earmarked $11.6 billion to fight and settle the Roundup litigation from consumers who argue their use of the product triggered cancer. But the continued lawsuits*** have caused Bayer Chemical company to set aside an additional $4.5 billion to deal with litigation tied to its best-selling Roundup weedkiller.

Secondly, and perhaps the best news of all, Bayer is set to remove glyphosphate from its residential Roundup products. More specifically, Roundup weedkiller in its current form will be pulled from the U.S. consumer market in 2023. (Translation: if you want to reduce your chances of getting a diagnosis of cancer in the next decade or so, either continue to use Roundup only while wearing a hazmat suit or use a competitor’s weedkiller for the next year and a half or so. Either way, minimize eating too many processed foods that contain glyphosate****.)

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*The German drugs and chemicals giant has repeatedly failed to put the Roundup woes behind it. Bayer inherited the legal nightmare with $63 billion Monsanto takeover. The purchase closed just weeks before the first of three U.S. juries found that Roundup had caused cancer.

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**Bayer’s three losses in U.S. trial courts only intensified the surge of suits against it concerning Roundup, wiping tens of billions of dollars from the company’s market valuation.

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