Monsanto. Yesterday, a jury ordered the company to pay more than $2 billion to a couple in California who claim their cancer was caused by the company’s popular weed killer Roundup. The couple used it on their property for decades, and eventually were both diagnosed with the same type of cancer. They’re both now in remission but testified about the lasting damage caused. Now, a jury is awarding them $1 billion each in punitive damages, plus another $55 million in compensatory damages. Monsanto’s parent company plans to appeal the verdict.
- Not even close to over: This is the third lawsuit related to Roundup that Monsanto has lost in California and the largest payout so far. There are thousands of similar cases that are pending at the federal or state level.