Supreme Court Rules Federal Law Prevents State Lawsuits Over Pesticide Labels

This decision limits the ability of individuals to sue pesticide companies for failure-to-warn claims in state courts if the EPA has already approved the product's label.

• •The Supreme Court reversed the Missouri Court of Appeals decision in Monsanto v. Durnell.
• •The Court ruled that FIFRA expressly preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims regarding pesticide labels.
• •Manufacturers are legally required to use the specific label approved by the EPA.
• •The EPA has repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer in humans.
• •State tort duties are considered state labeling requirements under federal law.
• •The Court cited Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. as precedent for federal preemption of state-law claims.
• •The ruling prevents states from imposing labeling requirements that are different from or in addition to federal requirements.
• •John Durnell was previously awarded over $1 million by a jury in his state-level lawsuit.

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.