The chemical industry is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy, including state-level bills and federal action. At the federal level, the Supreme Court has just agreed to hear Durnell v. Monsanto, which addresses the question of whether federal pesticide product registration law, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, “preempts a label-based failure-to-warn claim where EPA has not required the warning.”
A 2005 Supreme Court decision, in Bates v. Dow Agrosciences, upheld the right of those harmed by a pesticide to sue for damages; the Court agreeing to hear Durnell could indicate that it plans to overturn that precedent.
Exposure to agricultural chemicals, including common herbicides like glyphosate and paraquat, has been associated with elevated risks of multiple cancers, including leukemia, non‑Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder, colon, lung, pancreatic, prostate, and kidney cancer.
Pesticide use also poses serious danger to reproductive health. Plant-, fungus-, and insect-killing chemicals have been linked to impaired fertility in women and men, reduced sperm count and quality, miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, birth defects, low birth weight, and developmental disorders.
Even though Bayer and Syngenta claim their products have been rigorously tested and found to be safe when used as directed and the EPA, which evaluates and approves chemicals for safety under FIFRA, agrees that glyphosate and paraquat pose no human health risks, many scientific studies have called this conclusion into question.
We know that these bills have appeared in at least the following states in 2026, with perhaps dozens more planned:
- Florida: SB 518, HB 443
- Iowa: SF 394
- Kansas (KS HB 2476)
- Missouri: HB 2712, SB 1005, SB 1180
- Tennessee: HB 809, SB 527
The following bills will carry over from the 2025 session:
State legislators are fighting back against these bills and preparing to mobilize when these bills eventually reach their state. We’ve compiled a toolkit to support state legislators in taking action and protecting rural communities and farmers.
The toolkit is password-protected for the safety of our partners and communities. To access the toolkit, please fill out this form.
What’s Inside?
- A landscape of industry campaign to push these state-level bills
- Strategies for fighting back against these dangerous bills
- Messaging tips and narrative support to counter industry falsehoods
As lawmakers, we are responsible for crafting policies that reflect our values—policies that ensure safety, dignity, and opportunity for all. This toolkit provides concrete steps to resist harmful measures and build a more inclusive future. Access the toolkit here.