More than a decade after investigative journalist Carey Gillam first pulled back the curtain on Monsanto’s controversial weedkiller, the global giant now finds itself on the ropes.
Fresh science, record-breaking lawsuits, and even its own CEO’s admissions suggest Bayer’s grip on glyphosate may be slipping faster than anyone expected.
Carey Gillam on Bayer’s Roundup Crisis
Before we dive into this article, take a moment to hear directly from investigative journalist Carey Gillam. In this video, she breaks down Bayer’s legal and strategic retreat — and why Roundup’s troubles could signal something much bigger.
As Gillam explains, these courtroom battles are not just about payouts — they’re about rewriting the story of chemical safety itself. Let’s look closer at what this means for New Zealand, and why the glyphosate empire may finally be on the verge of collapse.
The Tipping Point
Bayer, the pharmaceutical and agrichemical heavyweight that acquired Monsanto in 2018, has been trying for years to bury the legal and reputational fallout of Roundup. But this month, Bayer quietly settled yet another Roundup cancer case in Missouri — mid-trial, before a jury could rule on evidence showing Monsanto’s internal ghostwriting of scientific studies. The settlement follows a staggering $2 billion Georgia verdict against Bayer that is still on appeal.
These aren’t isolated legal speed bumps. They are part of a tidal wave: over 114,000 cases have now been settled, with more than 67,000 still active. Bayer has even petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to block these lawsuits altogether by arguing that federal pesticide law should override state-based failure-to-warn claims. A Supreme Court decision is expected soon and could determine whether thousands more cases proceed — or vanish.
When the Strategy Backfires
Bayer’s legal strategy is showing deep cracks. With courtroom after courtroom exposing corporate manipulation, even a powerful multinational is struggling to stay ahead of the claims. Adding to the squeeze, a new rodent study published this month links glyphosate to multiple forms of cancer — including lymphoma and liver tumors — at doses regulators still consider “safe.”
No wonder Bayer’s CEO has hinted the company might “throw in the towel” and stop selling glyphosate-based herbicides to professional users, on top of halting consumer sales in the U.S. That isn’t just a marketing tweak; it’s a sign of retreat.
The Long Shadow of Whitewash
If this feels like déjà vu, that’s because Carey Gillam’s reporting has been warning of this reckoning for years. In Whitewash (2017), Gillam documented how Monsanto systematically shaped glyphosate science — from hidden PR campaigns to industry-friendly regulators and ghostwritten safety studies. She followed that exposé with The Monsanto Papers in 2021, laying bare the courtroom evidence that is now driving billion-dollar verdicts.
What juries are seeing today is a real-world replay of the corporate playbook Gillam described in those books. The public is no longer just hearing allegations — they are seeing the emails, the strategy documents, and the silencing of critics, all under oath in court.
Why It Matters for New Zealand
New Zealand still imports and uses glyphosate products under Bayer’s licensing agreements, even as its maker signals a possible exit abroad. Our regulators continue to defend glyphosate’s safety, citing outdated risk assessments that ignore many of the same issues now being tested in U.S. courts.
If the largest glyphosate manufacturer in the world is thinking about abandoning its flagship product, shouldn’t our policymakers at least pause to re-examine local approvals? Shouldn’t we ask whether we are trusting science — or trusting corporate marketing?
The Bigger Picture
This moment represents more than Bayer losing a legal fight. It’s about a global shift: from unchallenged chemical dominance to deep, uncomfortable questions about how we regulate, test, and approve products that end up in our food, our soil, and our bodies.
Gillam’s early warnings have come full circle. As new evidence emerges and as Bayer scrambles to protect its shareholders, the public — including New Zealanders — has an opportunity to finally see past the slogans and ask:
If this chemical empire is crumbling, why should we keep propping it up?
Final Thought
Carey Gillam’s investigative courage gave people a glimpse into the shadowy world of pesticide regulation and corporate influence. Today, juries, scientists, and even Bayer’s own executives are confirming what she saw coming. It’s time we paid attention — and refused to be the last ones left holding the risks of a collapsing chemical empire.
Further Reading
If Bayer’s struggles leave you questioning what’s next for glyphosate, these resources will help you dig deeper. They offer context, evidence, and the human stories behind one of the world’s most controversial weedkillers — and why its future is now in question.
Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science
By Carey Gillam
This landmark exposé unpacks how Monsanto built its glyphosate empire by manipulating science, regulators, and public opinion — a must-read foundation for understanding today’s court battles.
Whitewash: A review
The Monsanto Papers: Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man’s Search for Justice
By Carey Gillam
Gillam goes behind the scenes of the historic Roundup trials, revealing the internal documents, legal twists, and human stories that exposed the company’s hidden tactics.
The Monsanto Papers: A Review
NZ EPA: Glyphosate rules and regulations
Outlines the current New Zealand rules around glyphosate use, products, and approvals — useful context as local regulators face mounting global scrutiny.
Environmental Protection Authority
Don’t Celebrate Yet: Roundup May Be Ending, But Glyphosate Isn’t Going Anywhere
Our own deep dive explains why, even if Roundup fades away, the wider glyphosate issue isn’t going anywhere — with implications for New Zealand land, food, and community health.
Don’t Celebrate Yet
The glyphosate story isn’t finished yet. As courtrooms, regulators, and communities reconsider what “safe” really means, these materials will equip you to ask better questions — and challenge the narratives that still shape our food and environment.
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