Monsanto said in February 2026 that regulators, including the US EPA and EU bodies, conclude that glyphosate-based herbicides can be used safely and are not carcinogenic.

glyphosate-based herbicides can be used safely and are not carcinogenic

About: Bayer AG
Claim made by: Bayer, company statement
Published: 17 February 2026
Original: Monsanto announces Roundup™ class settlement agreement to resolve current and future claims
Evidence score: 77 How it was scored
Last reviewed: 25 October 2026

Why this label

A material part is supported. EPA has repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer, and the Supreme Court recited this in Durnell^S2^S3. The company's wording goes further than the EPA record in two ways. EPA's phrase is not likely to be carcinogenic, which is a weaker statement than are not carcinogenic^S2. The human health part of EPA's 2020 interim decision was vacated by the Ninth Circuit in 2022 and the decision was withdrawn, so EPA's position now rests on its 2017 assessment and an update still in progress^S2. IARC, a WHO agency, classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic^S1. IARC is not a regulator, but its view shows the conclusion is not uniform. EU positions were not checked against EU records here.

Current procedural position

Company statement of 17 February 2026^S4. EPA human health risk assessment update in progress, completion anticipated in late 2026 as of 26 August 2026^S2.

Record supporting the assessment

glyphosate-based herbicides can be used safely and are not carcinogenic

^S4 Tier B Bayer, Monsanto announces Roundup™ class settlement agreement to resolve current and future claims, 17 February 2026

The EPA has repeatedly evaluated glyphosate and repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer.

^S3 Tier A Supreme Court of the United States, Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, No. 24-1068, slip opinion, 25 June 2026

Conflicting or limiting record

The Ninth Circuit vacated the human health portion of EPA's ID.

^S2 Tier A US Environmental Protection Agency, Glyphosate, Last updated 26 August 2026

In March 2015, IARC classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A).

^S1 Tier A International Agency for Research on Cancer, Q&A on Glyphosate, 1 March 2016

Evidence score: 77 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Bayer AG. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

Component	Points	Max	Reason
Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition?	25	30	EPA and the Supreme Court are competent on the US regulatory position, and IARC on hazard classification.
DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts?	15	20	The records state EPA's view and its limits, but not the EU part of the company's claim.
CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point?	11	15	The EPA page and the Supreme Court opinion agree on EPA's conclusion.
Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes?	8	15	EPA's registration review is still open after the 2022 withdrawal.
CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments?	9	10	Checked against the EPA page updated 26 August 2026.
ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment?	9	10	All passages are on public official pages.
Total	77	100

Timeline

1 March 2016IARC Q&A restates its Group 2A classification^S1
17 February 2026Monsanto statement on regulators' views^S4
25 June 2026Supreme Court recites EPA's repeated conclusion^S3
26 August 2026EPA page describes the vacatur and the pending update^S2

Revision history

25 October 2026 Assessment first published with label Partly supported.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

S4Tier B Monsanto announces Roundup™ class settlement agreement to resolve current and future claimsBayer. Company statement. 17 February 2026.Company account of the settlement terms and its view of regulators' conclusions. It is not a court record.
S3Tier A Monsanto Co. v. Durnell, No. 24-1068, slip opinionSupreme Court of the United States. Court judgment. 25 June 2026.Holds that FIFRA preempts the failure-to-warn claim. It does not decide whether glyphosate causes cancer.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
S2Tier A GlyphosateUS Environmental Protection Agency. Regulator press release. Last updated 26 August 2026.EPA page on its cancer conclusion, the 2022 vacatur and withdrawal of the 2020 interim decision, and the pending update. It does not give a date for a new registration decision.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
S1Tier A Q&A on GlyphosateInternational Agency for Research on Cancer. Government press release. 1 March 2016.Official IARC explanation of its March 2015 Group 2A classification. It is a hazard classification and does not measure risk at actual exposure levels.Link working, checked 25 October 2026

Other claims about Bayer AG

Unresolved66
Plaintiffs in US Roundup lawsuits have claimed that exposure to the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans.
Court filing, 25 June 20264 records citedProduct claims
Outdated86
The US EPA's February 2020 interim registration review decision found that glyphosate is unlikely to be a human carcinogen.
Regulator statement, February 20203 records citedProduct claims
Supported95
The US Supreme Court held in June 2026 that federal pesticide law preempts a Missouri Roundup user's failure-to-warn claim against Monsanto.
Court filing, 25 June 20263 records citedCorporate status
Unresolved67
Monsanto said in February 2026 that a class settlement of up to US$7.25 billion would resolve current and future Roundup claims tied to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Company statement, 17 February 20265 records citedCorporate status