As one of the leading agricultural states in the United States, Florida produces more than 50 percent of the total value of oranges and grapefruits of the entire country. The state is the very top producer of several common crops, including snap beans, watermelons, sugarcane and others (in addition to oranges and grapefruit). With such a profitable and productive agricultural community, it should be no wonder that the state of Florida is a prime ground for potentially harmful exposure to weed killers, such as Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate.
In fact, many Florida residents who work in agriculture may, rightly, be concerned for their own health and safety thanks to prolonged exposure to glyphosate, which has been ruled a human carcinogen by an international organization as well as an American jury.
Millions of gallons of the substance are sprayed on farms throughout Florida every single year, and Roundup is a popular home weed killer as well. In Florida, agriculture is an enormous industry, contributing millions of jobs and producing a total economic impact of around $160 billion per year. Citrus growing alone contributes nearly $9 billion to the state’s economy.
But a recent verdict in a California court has many in Florida wondering whether they, too, should seek damages against the maker of Roundup, Monsanto, and its parent company, Bayer AG. That 2018 verdict held that a California man who worked as a groundskeeper developed terminal cancer as a result of his workplace exposure to glyphosate; the man was awarded nearly $300 million, though that amount was later reduced.
Given farming’s central position in the Florida economy, individuals and families should be aware of glyphosate and its dangers as well as their rights in pursuing legal action in the event that they were exposed to glyphosate and later became seriously ill.
Glyphosate Use in Florida
Glyphosate use in Florida jumped 88 percent between 1992 and 2016, and in 2016 alone, more than 3.5 million pounds of the chemical was sprayed on Florida fields, U.S. Geological Survey data says.
Florida glyphosate use has gone up every year since 2013 but is down from the peak reached in 2004. The nation as a whole saw glyphosate use go up by more than 20 times the level recorded in 1992.
As the nation’s largest producer of multiple crops, including oranges and sugarcane, Florida has a variety of crops that come into contact with glyphosate. On which crops was glyphosate used the most in 2016?
- Oranges (includes all orchards and grapes): 72%
- Hay (includes all pasture and hay): 13%
- Cotton: 3%
- Corn, soy, wheat and other crops: 12%
The vast majority of the glyphosate used in 2016 was sprayed on orchard crops, such as oranges, which makes perfect sense when you consider how crucial orange growing is to Florida’s overall economy. Oranges alone accounted for nearly $900 million in pure crop value in 2017, far ahead of other Florida-grown crops like strawberries, tomatoes and grapefruit.
Citrus production contributes more than $8 billion every year to Florida’s economy, and many counties and regions of the state are rich with citrus groves. Which areas produce the most citrus?
Florida regions by citrus production (2017-2018):
- Indian River: 5,800,000
- Northern: 1,205,000
- Central: 17,937,000
- Western: 15,142,000
- Southern: 9,496,000
Note: Citrus production is gauged by number of boxes produced
While the central and western regions of the state are the most productive for citrus, some counties are more known for oranges, while others are grapefruit producers.
|Alachua, Citrus and Putnam||3,000||0||*|
|* Denotes undisclosed data|
Note: Unlisted counties are not citrus-producing
Agriculture is a huge boon to Florida’s economy, with nearly 1 in 5 jobs tied to agriculture and food production, and in some Florida counties, the percentage of jobs in agriculture and food production is even higher. Two counties — Hamilton and Taylor — each see more than 80 percent of jobs being devoted to food production and agriculture. Florida boasts about 47,000 farming operations, which span nearly 9.5 million acres of land all across the state and combine to produce more than 300 different agricultural commodities.
More than 1.6 million Floridians are employed directly in farming and farming operations. The widespread use of glyphosate in the state means that it’s possible many or most of those 1.6 million people have been exposed to Roundup and glyphosate as part of their jobs on a near-daily basis.
While we can pinpoint how many people in Florida work directly in agricultural operations and so are more likely to come in direct contact with glyphosate whether through inhalation or skin contact, it’s much more difficult to determine how many Floridians have come into contact with glyphosate and not even known it. That’s because in addition to being the single most common herbicide used in U.S. farming operations, Roundup is a hugely popular product for the average consumer, with many people using the weed killer to control overgrowth in their own yards. Additionally, many public spaces likely are subject to glyphosate applications to control weeds, including public parks, forests and sports fields and even school grounds.
The following graph shows the amount of glyphosate applied countrywide. The state of Florida clearly is impacted by it’s agricultural application.
Florida Residents at Risk
While those who are directly exposed to Roundup and glyphosate, such as groundskeepers, farmers, farm laborers, landscapers and others, are the most obvious people to fear the risk associated with glyphosate exposure, they are far from the only ones who could or should be concerned.
Applying the chemical to plants is not the only way that it can come in contact with the human body. Those who handle application are, of course, more likely to have contact with it, but all Florida residents and consumers are potentially at risk thanks to glyphosate residue being discovered in the food supply, according to many tests.
Several rounds of recent testing have found that traces, sometimes in significant volume, have been found in orange juice, breakfast cereal, granola, snack bars and many other popular foods. Private testing done by various advocacy groups is the most reliable information we have because before 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency responsible for safeguarding the nation’s food supply, didn’t even have an effective way to check the food for glyphosate residue.
Given those facts, it’s quite impossible to know for sure how many Floridians have been exposed to glyphosate and Roundup over the years, including ingesting the residue.
Roundup Cancer Lawsuits in Florida
The California groundskeeper who won the blockbuster verdict against Bayer and Monsanto in 2018 later agreed to reduce the award to $78 million, but the trial revealed that not only was his non-Hodgkin lymphoma caused by his exposure to Roundup but that Monsanto for years hid the danger associated with its product.
As of late February 2019, Bayer is facing more than 9,000 cases related to Roundup-caused cancer, including a high-profile case in California with another man who worked as a groundskeeper and later was diagnosed with cancer.
Florida residents who have been exposed to Roundup or glyphosate and later became seriously ill should know their rights, as they may have legal recourse. Floridians have some of the most favorable consumer laws when it comes to how long they have to seek damages, but if you or a loved one was exposed to glyphosate and later became ill, you should speak with a qualified Florida attorney as soon as possible to determine the best course of action.
With new cases getting underway and being filed every day, the status of these cases are subject to change, though the cases are currently not a class action. This means that each case will be decided on its merits, but it also means that the time to act is now rather than later.
Florida residents have four years to file a product liability lawsuit from the time they discovered the damage. In the case of Roundup-caused cancer or other illness, that means a person would have four years from when it was first determined their illness was caused by Roundup.
A qualified attorney specializing in such roundup cancer lawsuit cases can help you ensure you have a chance to seek damages.
Roundup and Its Effect on Human Health
Multiple groups, including the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, the state of California and several other countries, have determined that glyphosate is a human carcinogen, meaning the chemical causes cancer in people.
In fact, the U.S. government at one time did classify glyphosate as a probable carcinogen, though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) later reversed its own decision, and the agency has classified glyphosate as non-carcinogenic since 1991.
In addition to the international classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen, several researchers have linked Roundup and glyphosate to a multitude of health problems that are common throughout the state of Florida.
- Gut bacteria can be disrupted by glyphosate, causing digestive distress.
- One French study found that Roundup killed human liver cells.
- Diagnoses of autism have gone up in a similar pattern with the use of glyphosate for corn and soy farming.
- Breast cancer growth is spurred on by glyphosate, according to a study. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Florida.
- One study linked parents’ exposure to Roundup to brain cancer in their children.
- Multiple studies link Parkinson’s disease and glyphosate. Florida had the second most Parkinson’s disease deaths in the country in 2017.
- The overall national increase in glyphosate use for corn and soy production is correlated with the rise in Alzheimer’s disease death. Florida had the third-highest number of Alzheimer’s disease deaths in 2017.
How to File an Florida Roundup Lawsuit
If you used or were regularly exposed to Roundup or glyphosate and later developed a serious illness, including cancer, it’s in your best interest to consult with a qualified lawyer in Florida who can help you seek the damages you may be due.
The pending and in-progress lawsuits against Bayer AG/Monsanto are not considered a class action, which means that each case will be decided based on the individual circumstances. This could be beneficial to consumers, but it also means that your time to file your Florida Roundup cancer case could be limited by state law covering product liability lawsuits.
Contact a qualified Florida attorney today who can help you seek justice.
Florida Roundup Cancer Lawsuit Lawyers & Attorneys
Saunders & Walker
- Location: Pinellas Park, Florida
- Website: https://www.saunderslawyers.com/dangerous-products/roundup-lawsuit-and-cancerous-effects/
- Phone number: 800-748-7115
The Ruth Law Team
- Location: Petersburg, Florida; St. Paul, Minnesota
- Website: https://getjustice.com/cases/unsafe-products-medications/roundup-weed-killer-attorneys-lawsuits/
- Phone number: 888-380-3315
- World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of
five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides. (2015.) Retrieved from https://www.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MonographVolume112-1.pdf
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Memorandum: Second Peer Review of Glyphosate. (1991.) Retrieved from https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/cleared_reviews/csr_PC-103601_30-Oct-91_265.pdf
- Reuters, U.S. trial tests claims Roundup weed killer caused cancer. (2019.) Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bayer-glyphosate-lawsuit/us-trial-tests-claims-roundup-weed-killer-caused-cancer-idUSKCN1QD0I8
- NPR, Groundskeeper Accepts Reduced $78 Million Award In Monsanto Cancer Suit. (2018.) Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2018/11/01/662812333/groundskeeper-accepts-reduced-78-million-in-monsanto-cancer-suit
- U.S. Geological Survey, Estimated Annual Agricultural Pesticide Use. (2017.) Retrieved from https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/county-level/StateLevel/LowEstimate_AgPestUsebyCropGroup92to16.txt
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Florida County Estimates, Citrus, 2017-2018. (2018.) Retrieved from https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Florida/Publications/County_Estimates/2018/FLCitrus17-18CE.pdf
- Florida Department of Agriculture, Florida Agriculture by the Numbers. (2016.) Retrieved from https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Florida/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/FL_Agriculture_Book/2016/Florida_Agriculture_by_the_Numbers_Brochure_2016.pdf
- University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Agriculture Fast Facts 2018. (2018.) Retrieved from https://ifas.ufl.edu/media/ifasufledu/ifas-dark-blue/docs/pdf/impact/ICS_FloridaAgFactsBooklet2018.web.pdf
- FindLaw.com, Florida Product Liability Laws. (Undated.) Retrieved from https://statelaws.findlaw.com/florida-law/florida-product-liability-laws.html
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance. (2013.0 Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines. (2009.) Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19539684
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors. (2013.) Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23756170
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Parental Exposure to Pesticides and Childhood Brain Cancer: U.S. Atlantic Coast Childhood Brain Cancer Study. (2009.) Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702394/
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Glyphosate induced cell death through apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms. (2012.) Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22504123
- WeedKillerCrisis.com, Shocking Report Shows Weedkiller Ingredient Glyphosate Causing Americans to Be Sicker and Dying Younger. (2019.) Retrieved from https://www.weedkillercrisis.com/topics/glyphosate-report-2019/
- American Cancer Society, Cancer Statistics Center, Florida. (Undated.) Retrieved from https://cancerstatisticscenter.cancer.org/?_ga=2.78607636.1276957368.1551302954-403506107.1549899872#!/state/Florida
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Parkinson’s Disease Mortality by State. (2019.) Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/parkinsons_disease_mortality/parkinsons_disease.htm
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Alzheimer’s Disease Mortality by State. (2019.) Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/alzheimers_mortality/alzheimers_disease.htm
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Questions and Answers on Glyphosate. (2018.) Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/pesticides/ucm583713.htm
- Center for Environmental Health, Getting Toxic Chemicals Off The Menu, A School Guide To Safer Cereals. (Undated.) Retrieved from https://www.ceh.org/wp-content/uploads/Glyphosate-in-Schools-Report.pdf
- Environmental Working Group, Breakfast With a Dose of Roundup? (2018.) Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/
- Moms Across America, Breakfast Favorite Orange Juice Tainted by Glyphosate Herbicide. (2018.) Retrieved from https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/orange_juice_postive_for_glyphosate_again