Monsanto will appeal the decision of a jury in San Francisco, which awarded a groundskeeper ($289m) €255m after it determined that Monsanto’s Roundup caused his cancer.

It also said that Monsanto failed to tell the groundskeeper, Dewayne Johnson, of the potential dangers of using the product, which contains glyphosate.

A statement from Monsanto said: “We will appeal this decision and continue to vigorously defend this product, which has a 40-year history of safe use and continues to be a vital, effective and safe tool for farmers and others.”

It is the first case against Monsanto to go to trial in the US and another trial is reported to be scheduled to begin in Missouri later this year on the same issue.