St. Louis, MO – February 17, 2026 – Pharmaceutical and agricultural giant Bayer has announced a significant proposed settlement totaling $7.25 billion to address a vast number of current and future lawsuits linking its popular Roundup weedkiller to cancer.

This move aims to bring “speed and containment” to the prolonged legal battles that have shadowed the company since its acquisition of Monsanto in 2018.

The core of the litigation revolves around allegations that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Thousands of plaintiffs have brought claims, asserting that exposure to the herbicide led to their cancer diagnosis and that Monsanto (now Bayer) failed to adequately warn consumers about the risks.+1

Key Aspects of the Proposed Agreement:

• Total Value: The settlement provides for up to $7.25 billion in funds, to be disbursed through structured annual payments over an extended period of 17 to 21 years.
• Eligibility: The agreement is designed to cover individuals who were exposed to Roundup before February 17, 2026, and have either already been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or receive such a diagnosis within the next 16 years.
• Compensation: Payouts will be tiered, considering factors like the severity of the illness, the specific type of NHL, the age of diagnosis, and the degree of exposure to Roundup. While average awards are anticipated to range from $10,000 to $165,000, more severe cases could qualify for higher compensation.
• No Admission of Guilt: Bayer continues to assert that Roundup is safe and that glyphosate does not cause cancer. The company emphasizes that this settlement is a pragmatic business decision to manage litigation risk, not an admission of liability or wrongdoing.+1
• Court Approval: The proposed settlement requires final approval from the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, to proceed.

Strategic Timing Amidst Supreme Court Review

“Litigation uncertainty has plagued the company for years, and this settlement gives the company a road to closure,” stated Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer.

This latest financial commitment adds to the roughly $10 billion Bayer previously allocated in 2020 to resolve an earlier wave of Roundup-related lawsuits. The news was met positively by investors, with Bayer’s shares rising over 7% following the announcement, reflecting a market appetite for reduced legal exposure.