Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into major food and pesticide manufacturers, including Bayer and PepsiCo, over concerns of glyphosate contamination in food products.
“Glyphosate is the main ingredient in Roundup weed killer. It is a widely-used herbicide that is applied on genetically engineered crops. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen. Since then, extensive human and animal research has shown that glyphosate contributes to endocrine disruption, infertility, kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases, in addition to its cancer-causing properties,” a press release from Paxton’s office read.
“More than 250 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed in the United States each year. Research has found that over 70 percent of Americans adults have detectable traces of glyphosate in their bodies compared to a mere 12 percent in 1993,” it continued.
BREAKING: I took legal action as part of a sweeping investigation into corporate giants, including Bayer, for poisoning Texans through glyphosate contamination in food. pic.twitter.com/YID3Nnr0R8
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) June 2, 2026
More from the press release:
Scientists attribute much of this dramatic increase to the widespread use of glyphosate as a desiccant. Desiccation is the practice of applying herbicides like Roundup to crops shortly before harvest so that they dry down uniformly. This practice contributes to over 90% of the glyphosate found in food, particularly in food products containing oats. Although the EPA prohibits the use of glyphosate as a desiccant on oats in the United States, major food companies source their oats from foreign countries where the practice is allowed. Oats are widely found in cereals, breakfast bars, and cookies, which make children particularly vulnerable to glyphosate’s harms. In fact, studies show that certain food products marketed to children are some of the most glyphosate-contaminated food products in the United States. Other products are marketed as “healthy” when manufacturers know their products are contaminated with dangerously high levels of glyphosate. Research further indicates that children between the ages of one- and two-years-old have the highest dietary exposure to glyphosate of any population.
“If any corporation is using regulatory loopholes to poison our kids with glyphosate, we will find out and we will secure justice,” Paxton said.
“My office is also investigating whether major food companies are complying with Texas law and whether consumers, especially parents, have been misled about the health claims of common food products marketed to their families. No corporation is above the law, and no illegal action will go unpunished,” he added.
TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON INVESTIGATES GLYPHOSATE CONTAMINATION IN FOOD PRODUCTS
Paxton has issued Civil Investigative Demands to major companies including Bayer and PepsiCo over concerns about residues in foods, especially those affecting children, and potential violations of Texas… pic.twitter.com/Z5OM0BHqC0
— The Dallas Express News (@DallasExpress) June 2, 2026
In April, Paxton, along with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, “filed an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in Monsanto v. Durnell, a case about whether individuals allegedly harmed by the pesticide Roundup can pursue state law failure-to-warn claims when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not required a harm warning for the pesticide,” The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center said.
U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument: Monsanto v. Durnell, examining whether pesticide companies are immune from state-level lawsuits if their product labels are approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency – LIVE on C-SPAN2 https://t.co/wqCmJz9wkH
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 27, 2026
The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center added:
An individual brought a failure-to-warn claim under state law against a pesticide manufacturer, alleging he developed cancer following long-term exposure to glyphosate, a component of Roundup. A jury found in favor of the plaintiff on the failure-to-warn claim, and the state appellate court affirmed. The pesticide producer sought review by the Supreme Court, arguing that the lawsuit and any state law failure-to-warn claims are preempted by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). In the amicus brief, the AGs said that while they took no position on the merits of the claimed harm, states should hold the responsibility for protecting their citizens, and state tort law is the historical regulatory scheme used for these types of substances. The AGs also pointed out that in a prior case, Bates v. Dow Agrosciences, the Supreme Court recognized the importance of state tort law in pesticide regulation. The AGs argued that state tort law provides manufacturers incentives to comply with laws and compensates victims of products.
Read more about the Supreme Court case HERE.
Supreme Court To Hear Oral Arguments In Critical Glyphosate Case, Activists Rally