A draft settlement of lawsuits alleging a connection between Roundup exposure and cancer has been agreed to by Bayer and lawyers representing “tens of thousands” of plaintiffs, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing “people familiar with the matter.”

Attorneys for Bayer and thousands of plaintiffs around the country who allege Roundup caused their cancer are trying to negotiate a settlement of the litigation.

Shrinking Clean Water Act brings long legal battle

A Virginia lawyer heavily involved in Roundup litigation has been charged with attempted extortion for “threatening to inflict substantial financial and reputational harm” on an unnamed chemical company unless he received $200 million in “consulting fees,” the Justice Department says.

Legal challenges facing Bayer for health concerns allegedly caused by the use of glyphosate more than doubled in the last quarter, the company recently disclosed to investors.

A trial in St. Louis involving a plaintiff who alleges exposure to Roundup caused her non-Hodgkin lymphoma has been delayed indefinitely, leading to speculation that Bayer and plaintiffs’ lawyers need the time to work out a settlement.

With an eye on the future of agriculture and the need to address shareholders and customers expectations, Bayer confirmed an ambitious plan to address climate change and a more sustainable farming future during events in Monheim, Germany, this week.