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It\u2019s been more than a decade in the making, and now Bayer \u2014 the maker of Roundup weed killer \u2014 has agreed to a $7.25 billion settlement<\/a> to resolve thousands of lawsuits it has faced since 2015.<\/p>\n The Roundup cancer lawsuits began pouring in shortly after the World Health Organization\u2019s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate, the herbicide\u2019s active ingredient, as \u201cprobably carcinogenic to humans.\u201d<\/p>\n That word \u201cprobably\u201d is enough to make anyone uneasy.<\/p>\n However, not all health agencies agree. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has maintained that glyphosate is \u201cnot likely to be carcinogenic to humans\u201d<\/a> when used as directed. Other regulatory bodies around the world have reached similar conclusions, which Bayer has repeatedly cited in its defense.<\/p>\n Bayer has consistently denied that Roundup causes cancer, even as it moves forward with settlements to resolve ongoing litigation.<\/p>\n The awkward part is that Bayer \u2014 a German company \u2014 didn\u2019t originally create Roundup. The herbicide was developed by Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018 right as the lawsuits were intensifying in the United States. That acquisition left Bayer responsible for the mounting legal battles tied to the product.<\/p>\n Bayer is not admitting that Roundup causes cancer. Instead, the company has said the settlements are an effort to resolve long-running and costly litigation that has stretched on for years.<\/p>\n Bayer CEO Bill Anderson \u2014 and no, not the country legend known as \u201cWhisperin\u2019 Bill\u201d Anderson \u2014 said the company was encouraged that progress toward a settlement had been made.<\/p>\n Anderson said, \u201cLitigation uncertainty has plagued the company for years, and this settlement gives us a road to closure.\u201d<\/p>\n The thousands of lawsuits that followed the IARC announcement largely alleged that exposure to Roundup caused non-Hodgkin\u2019s lymphoma in some users.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong>\u00a036 Country Singers Who Have Battled Cancer<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n According to the Guardian<\/em><\/a>, the proposed settlement was filed in St. Louis Circuit Court in Missouri, where Bayer\u2019s North American Crop Science division is based and where many of the lawsuits have been brought.<\/p>\n It’s also important to note that the settlement still needs the court\u2019s approval.\u00a0Reuters<\/em><\/a> reports that individuals who believe they were affected by Roundup may still be able to file claims as part of the settlement process.<\/p>\n Cancer touches almost every family at some point, and country stars are no exception. Tragically, some of them have died of their illnesses. Read on to learn the stories behind stars who have faced cancer diagnoses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cancer has touched so many lives in the country music community, it’s only natural that this devastating illness is at the center of many songs. If you’re fighting cancer, supporting someone who is or if you’ve beaten the disease, there’s a song on this list for you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat Cancer Did Roundup Weed Killer Allegedly Cause?<\/h3>\n
These Country Stars Have Battled Cancer<\/h2>\n
11 Heartbreaking Country Songs About Cancer<\/h2>\n