Groups representing U.S. farmers have filed a brief encouraging the Supreme Court to hear a case on labeling for glyphosate and other pesticides. The groups, which represent a broad swath of agriculture and cover over 300 million acres, argue that glyphosate is a “once-in-a-century” herbicide given its effectiveness at controlling an array of damaging weeds, affordability, and low toxicity. However, uncertainty created by inaccurate interpretations of pesticide labeling requirements has risked farmers’ access to glyphosate and other indispensable tools.
The question at the center of the case, Durnell v. Monsanto, is whether manufacturers of glyphosate or other pesticides are liable under state law for failure to warn of alleged cancer or other health risks when federal regulators have thoroughly evaluated the safety of the product and determined their uses are safe. The groups say the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act prevents states from imposing labeling requirements different from EPA findings.
-NAFB