Roundup is still being sold because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not found the active chemical, glyphosate to be harmful to humans.
As a highly effective herbicide that is perfect for treating genetically modified organism crops like corn, soybean, and wheat, Roundup works as it is intended. The growth projection of Roundup is still high, with an estimated value of $12 billion dollars by 2024, according to the New York Times.
Consumer agencies in the United States refuse to take Roundup off the shelves despite growing skepticism from top cancer researchers around the world about the chemical’s long-term effects on the health of farmers and everyday gardeners alike.
About Roundup and Glyphosate Controversy
Glyphosate was first introduced to commercial agriculture by agrochemical company Monsanto in 1974 as the herbicide called Roundup, according to the New York Times report. However, it was not widely used until 1996, when Monsanto began to sell genetically modified seeds for farmers all around the world. These crops were specifically designed to be resistant to the herbicide effects of Roundup. That meant farmers could treat their entire crop beds with the chemical, and not face the risk of losing it due to the plant-killing powers of Roundup.
For many farmers, this switch to genetically modified crops, and the use of Roundup was the only logical decision. It seemed to solve pending problems with shortages of soybeans, corn, and cotton while freeing up time, effort, and money from farmers and their employees.
Roundup is still being sold because it gets the job of killing weeds done, and saves farmers money.
Roundup Controversy
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), one of the world’s leading cancer research centers, reported finding internal organ tumors in animals that were treated with glyphosate. Additionally, the IARC published findings that farmers who used glyphosate and Roundup were more likely to suffer from various forms of cancer.
However, even after the EPA’s own research showing adverse health effects on animals, they maintain their position that glyphosate does not cause cancer in humans.
Doubts About Cancer Research
The controversy surrounding Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has not diminished the value of Roundup for farmers. Other criticisms of the IARC study mentioned that even some toxic substances and cancer-causing agents in the United States are not harmful to people under the maximum allowed limit. However, IARC scientists report on the possible lag between glyphosate exposure and the development of cancer, much like the proven latency periods for other cancer-causing agents.
The link between Roundup and cancer has been proven by researchers, so why is Roundup still being sold? Some agriculturalists in the United States still depend on its effectiveness for crop health, the USDA has not restricted its production yet, and it can still legally be sold in the country because there is a demand for it. That is part of what made it an obvious choice for corporate pharmaceutical company Bayer to finalize the purchase of Monsanto and its brands, including Roundup.
Bayer Lawsuit Settlements
The willing use of glyphosate in Roundup and other agricultural products has not prevented thousands of people from taking legal action. According to Bloomberg, Bayer recently announced a $10 billion plan to end all of at least 125,000 current and future lawsuits against them for the cancer-causing potential of Roundup.
Meanwhile, Bayer continues to allow Roundup to be produced and sold for mass consumption around the globe. It has only publicly announced a possibility of removing Roundup for use on consumer-level gardening projects but maintaining availability for large-scale farmers.
If you or someone you love used, worked with, or lived somewhere with the widespread use of Roundup and developed cancer or another illness because of it, you may be eligible to join thousands in lawsuits for the negligence of corporations like Monsanto and Bayer. While Roundup is still massively popular in agriculture, its future on store shelves is uncertain. The long-term effects of using Roundup have seemingly yet to be revealed to all of Roundup’s consumers and producers.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a free consultation on a Roundup lawsuit at (800) 794-0444. We work on a contingency basis, which means that we do not take any payments upfront or out of pocket. We only receive payment for attorneys’ fees once we have won you a financial settlement either outside of court or at trial against Roundup manufacturers. We are not afraid of taking on tough cases, so reach out to us today.