DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of the manufacturer of Roundup, Bayer-Monsanto, finding that the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to leave a cancer warning off the herbicide's label overrides any differing state laws.
The ruling centers on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, known as FIFRA, which governs how pesticides such as Roundup are registered and labeled.
KJ Johnson, with Illinois Soybean Growers, said the decision protects farmers from state or local failure-to-warn claims.
"If the U.S. EPA does say it's cancer-causing, it's going to go on the label," Johnson said. "But right now, there is nothing the U.S. EPA has found that says it's a cancer-causing agent."
Johnson said the decision eliminates the need for farmers to sort through contradictory federal and state laws.
"We might use the same products year after year, so we kind of know what those labels are and what those restrictions are, but again, it gives us certainty from here," Johnson said.
He added that label stability is critical because farmers begin making purchasing decisions months before the growing season.
"In September and October, I'm going to start making decisions for the '27 crop," Johnson said. "I kind of know what those labels are then, but if there's change two months before we put it on, that gives me uncertainty."
Johnson said the ruling standardizes what is expected of farmers when it comes to pesticide use.
"Just give us certainty of what that is," Johnson said. "Don't muddy the water. Lay out on the label what it is, we will follow those label restrictions."
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