Limiting lawsuits against Roundup’s maker to be discussed by Iowa House GOP
A bill backed by a farm chemical company facing tens of thousands of lawsuits over claims its Roundup weed killer causes cancer is expected to be discussed again by Iowa House Republicans in 2026.
The proposal did not come up for a vote during the 2025 legislative session, but House leaders say they plan to gauge whether there is enough Republican support to pass it this year.
Republicans hold 67 seats in the Iowa House — well above the 51 votes needed to approve legislation. House Speaker Pat Grassley says he knows some members of his caucus oppose the bill, but he believes the broader economic implications must be considered.
“As a farmer myself, I would much rather be able to buy a product that’s manufactured here, especially here in the state of Iowa, than from foreign companies completely owning the supply chain,” Grassley told Radio Iowa.
Bayer operates a plant in Muscatine that produces about 70 percent of the Roundup sold in North America. The company has warned the facility could close because of the financial burden of ongoing lawsuits.
Grassley said rising costs and supply-chain concerns facing farmers this spring also factor into the discussion.
“We want to make sure agricultural products are manufactured here,” Grassley said. “We’re looking at higher costs, and we don’t necessarily have a supply chain for all the inputs we need, so we have to be very mindful when making decisions.”
The bill would shield pesticide and herbicide manufacturers from so-called “failure-to-warn” lawsuits, as long as product labels comply with federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. The EPA maintains that Roundup does not pose a risk to human health when used according to label instructions.
House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, a farmer, has said he would rather see Roundup produced in Iowa than overseas, including in China.
Democrats strongly oppose the bill. House Minority Leader Brian Meyer of Des Moines, an attorney, said it would harm Iowans who have been — or could be — affected by glyphosate, Roundup’s main ingredient.
“This is a disservice to Iowans,” Meyer said. He noted that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously sued Monsanto, the original maker of Roundup, over glyphosate-related claims.
“If they move forward with this, I’ll offer amendments asking lawmakers to consult the HHS secretary, who knows the dangers of this,” Meyer said.
The Iowa Senate has already passed the legislation, and Governor Kim Reynolds has indicated she would sign it if it reaches her desk.
