The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was ordered by a federal appeals court on Friday to take a fresh look at whether glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer AG's Roundup weed killer, poses unreasonable risks to humans and the environment.

Bayer announced a series of agreements that will substantially resolve major outstanding Monsanto litigation, including cases involving U.S. Roundup product liability, dicamba drift and PCB water issues, bringing closure to approximately 75% of the current Roundup litigation involving approximately 125,000 filed and unfiled claims.

Bayer AG agreed to pay $39.5 million to settle allegations that its Monsanto unit ran misleading ads about the controversial Roundup weedkiller and its potential health risks to humans and animals. In addition, the label will be altered to remove language that says glyphosate only affects an enzyme found in plants.

A weed specialist from Texas A&M University addressed concerns, 'myths' and facts about glyphosate — and reiterates the importance of following the label — during a recent farm management symposium.