Genetic Literacy Project: PR front for Monsanto, Bayer and the chemical industry

Genetic Literacy Project and its founder Jon Entine partner with corporations to promote and defend GMOs and pesticides. Bayer paid the Genetic Literacy Project $100,000 in fiscal year 2020-2021.

Research contract gave Bayer control of neonics study methods, but university researchers claim full credit

A research contract gave multinational pesticide manufacturers ample influence over pesticide research conducted at a state university. Experts in research ethics found fault with the influence the contract gave the funders, and linked the situation to broader transparency failures in corporate-funded research. Resulting scientific studies only acknowledged the funds the pesticide manufacturers contributed to the ... Research contract gave Bayer control of neonics study methods, but university researchers claim full credit

Center for Food Integrity: PR for processed foods, pesticides and GMOs

The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), formerly the Grow America Project, is an industry-funded 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that conducts research, lobbying and public relations campaigns to “earn consumer trust” for processed food and agrichemical companies, including DowDuPont, Monsanto, Cargill, Costco, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Hershey, Kroger and trade associations for meat, dairy and soybeans. In the ... Center for Food Integrity: PR for processed foods, pesticides and GMOs

Alison Van Eenennaam: key outside spokesperson and lobbyist for the pesticide and GMO industries

Alison Van Eenennaam, PhD, a Professor of Cooperative Extension in Animal Biotechnology and Genomics at University of California, Davis, is a leading promoter of genetically engineered animals, crops and the pesticides that accompany them, and an advocate for deregulation. Dr. Van Eenennaam is a former Monsanto employee who opposes requiring safety studies for genetically engineered ... Alison Van Eenennaam: key outside spokesperson and lobbyist for the pesticide and GMO industries

Paraquat Papers – Updates to U.S. litigation

Multiple lawsuits are pending in the United States against Syngenta alleging the weedkilling chemical paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease. A notice of settlement was filed June 18, 2021 for several paraquat cases. See this document. But more than 400 lawsuits are pending. The lawsuits name Syngenta as well as Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and Growmark Inc. ... Paraquat Papers – Updates to U.S. litigation

Stephens trial drags on, toxicologist testifies about studies of herbicide and cancer risk

A scientist testified Monday that a California woman’s regular use of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide “vastly” exceeded the exposure scientific research shows more than doubles the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). William Sawyer, a toxicologist and expert witness for plaintiff Donnetta Stephens in her lawsuit against Monsanto, cited scientific research that links use of Monsanto’s ... Stephens trial drags on, toxicologist testifies about studies of herbicide and cancer risk

EPA exposed for hiding chemical risks, favoring corporate interests

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a long and well-documented history of questionable conduct when it comes to regulation of chemicals important to the profit centers for many large and powerful corporations. Numerous examples show a pattern of agency actions that allow for the use of dangerous chemicals by consumers, farmers, groundskeepers and others ... EPA exposed for hiding chemical risks, favoring corporate interests

Bayer heads into next U.S. cancer trial, opening statements set for Thursday

Despite Bayer AG’s efforts to put an end to costly litigation inherited in its acquisition of Monsanto, opening statements in yet another trial are set for Thursday as a woman suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma claims Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide caused her cancer. A jury of seven men and five women have been seated in the case ... Bayer heads into next U.S. cancer trial, opening statements set for Thursday

New analysis of glyphosate industry studies finds them outdated, flawed

See Carey Gillam’s article in The Guardian, Corporate studies asserting herbicide safety show many flaws, new analysis finds (July 2, 2021). In this post we provide links to the 53 once-secret studies and related materials. Questions about the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) have persisted for years, as scientific research has split over whether or ... New analysis of glyphosate industry studies finds them outdated, flawed

The Dicamba Papers: Key documents and analysis

Dozens of farmers around the United States are suing the former Monsanto Co., purchased in 2018 by Bayer AG, and conglomerate BASF in an effort to hold the companies accountable for millions of acres of crop damage the farmers claim is due to widespread illegal use of the weed killing chemical dicamba, use  promoted by ... The Dicamba Papers: Key documents and analysis

Elderly woman to take on Monsanto in next trial over cancer claims

An elderly California woman who was a regular user of Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer for more than 30 years is set as the next person to try to prove that exposure to the chemical causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a claim already won by plaintiffs in three previous trials. The case of Donnetta Stephens v. Monsanto is ... Elderly woman to take on Monsanto in next trial over cancer claims

Consolidation approved for lawsuits against Syngenta and Chevron over herbicide

A U.S. judicial panel has ordered the pretrial consolidation of dozens of lawsuits against Syngenta and Chevron over allegations that paraquat weed killer, which has been used widely around the world for more than 50 years, causes Parkinson’s disease. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said that “to date, 77 actions and potential tag-along ... Consolidation approved for lawsuits against Syngenta and Chevron over herbicide

Another delay for trial set to examine allegation that Syngenta weed killer causes Parkinson’s

A highly anticipated first-ever trial pitting a group of farmers against the global agricultural giant Syngenta AG over allegations that Syngenta’s paraquat weed killer causes Parkinson’s disease has been delayed again and may not take place at all, according to sources close to the case. The trial in the case of Hoffman V. Syngenta was ... Another delay for trial set to examine allegation that Syngenta weed killer causes Parkinson’s

Key court hearing Wednesday in Bayer cancer liability litigation

(UPDATED May 18 with pretrial order) As Bayer AG works to put an end to costly litigation over alleged connections between Roundup herbicide and cancer, the company faces a critical hearing on Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco. At issue in the hearing is a proposed $2 billion class action settlement structured by Bayer ... Key court hearing Wednesday in Bayer cancer liability litigation

Monsanto Papers

See our Roundup Trial Tracker for trial reporting. Discovery documents Read internal Monsanto documents    As part of the discovery process during the litigation that preceded the settlement, Monsanto had to turn over millions of pages of its internal records. The Monsanto Papers and other court records are shared below, including documents regarding the company’s ... Monsanto Papers

Trial lawyers accuse Monsanto, Bayer of “pay-to-appeal scheme,” allege “fraud”

The lawyers who led the nationwide U.S. Roundup litigation through three trial victories and forced Monsanto owner Bayer AG into an $11 billion settlement have notified a federal court that they have uncovered evidence of fraud in a secret deal between Monsanto and a lone plaintiff’s lawyer who has not been active in the litigation ... Trial lawyers accuse Monsanto, Bayer of “pay-to-appeal scheme,” allege “fraud”

Move to consolidate U.S. paraquat litigation as cases mount against Syngenta

Lawyers suing Swiss chemical company Syngenta are asking a U.S. judicial panel to consolidate more than a dozen similar lawsuits under the oversight of a federal judge in California. The move is a telling sign of the expansion of litigation that alleges the company’s weed killing products cause Parkinson’s Disease. According to the motion, filed ... Move to consolidate U.S. paraquat litigation as cases mount against Syngenta

Bayer’s class action settlement plan draws widespread outrage, opposition

(Updated March 10 to include judge’s order delaying hearing until May 12) More than 90 law firms and more than 160 lawyers have notified a federal court judge overseeing U.S. Roundup litigation that they oppose Monsanto owner Bayer AG’s $2 billion plan to settle future claims the company expects to be brought by people diagnosed ... Bayer’s class action settlement plan draws widespread outrage, opposition

New study finds glyphosate-related alterations in gut microbiome

A new animal study by a group of European researchers has found that low levels of the weed killing chemical glyphosate and the glyphosate-based Roundup product can alter the composition of the gut microbiome in ways that may be linked to adverse health outcomes. The paper, published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is ... New study finds glyphosate-related alterations in gut microbiome

New glyphosate papers point to “urgency” for more research on chemical impact to human health

Newly published scientific papers illustrate the ubiquitous nature of the weed killing chemical glyphosate and a need to better understand the impact exposure to the popular pesticide may be having on human health, including the health of the gut microbiome. In one of the new papers, researchers from the University of Turku in Finland said ... New glyphosate papers point to “urgency” for more research on chemical impact to human health

New research adds evidence that weed killer glyphosate disrupts hormones

New research is adding worrisome evidence to concerns that the widely used weedkilling chemical glyphosate may have the potential to interfere with human hormones. In a paper published in the journal Chemosphere titled Glyphosate and the key characteristics of an endocrine disruptor: A review, a trio of scientists concluded that glyphosate appears to have eight out ... New research adds evidence that weed killer glyphosate disrupts hormones

Bayer’s shady PR firms: FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, FTI Consulting

Originally posted May 2019; updated November 2020 Public relations firms Bayer AG and Monsanto relied on to deflect cancer concerns about glyphosate — including FTI consulting, Ketchum PR and FleishmanHillard — have long histories of using deceptive tactics to promote pesticide, tobacco and oil industry interests. Updates FTI Consulting’s shady tactics for the oil industry: Based on ... Bayer’s shady PR firms: FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, FTI Consulting

Bayer’s Monsanto headache persists

The migraine that is Monsanto doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon for Bayer AG. Efforts at settling the mass of lawsuits brought in the United States by tens of thousands of people who claim Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides gave them cancer continue to inch forward, but are not addressing all outstanding cases, nor are ... Bayer’s Monsanto headache persists

Thailand’s reversal on glyphosate ban came after Bayer scripted U.S. intervention, documents show

A year ago Thailand was set to ban the widely used weed killing chemical glyphosate, a move applauded by public health advocates because of evidence the chemical causes cancer, along with other harms to people and the environment. But under heavy pressure from U.S. officials, Thailand’s government reversed the planned ban on glyphosate last November ... Thailand’s reversal on glyphosate ban came after Bayer scripted U.S. intervention, documents show

Glyphosate in chicken poop used as fertilizer is hurting food production, researchers say

Scientists brought more bad news to light regarding the widely used herbicide glyphosate, better known as Roundup, in a new research paper published this month. Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland revealed in a paper published in the journal Science of The Total Environment that manure from poultry used as fertilizer can decrease ... Glyphosate in chicken poop used as fertilizer is hurting food production, researchers say

CBI, GMO Answers, CropLife: pesticide industry PR salvos 

The Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI) was a public relations campaign launched in April 2000 by seven leading chemical/seed companies and their trade groups to persuade the public to accept genetically engineered foods. The initiative — created in response to public concerns about the health and environmental risks of genetically engineered foods — said its ... CBI, GMO Answers, CropLife: pesticide industry PR salvos 

GMO Answers is a marketing campaign funded by pesticide companies

GMO Answers is billed as a forum where consumers can get straight answers from independent experts about genetically engineered foods (GMOs) and pesticides. Some journalists have taken it seriously as an unbiased source. But the evidence shows that GMO Answer is an industry funded marketing tool to spin GMOs in a positive light. Documents described ... GMO Answers is a marketing campaign funded by pesticide companies

New weed killer studies raise concern for reproductive health

As Bayer AG seeks to discount concerns that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicides cause cancer, several new studies are raising questions about the chemical’s potential impact on reproductive health. An assortment of animal studies released this summer indicate that glyphosate exposures impact reproductive organs and could threaten fertility, adding fresh evidence that the weed killing agent might ... New weed killer studies raise concern for reproductive health

U.S. study shows switch to organic diet can quickly clear pesticide from our bodies

A new study published Tuesday found that after switching to an organic diet for just a few days, people could cut the levels of a pesticide linked to cancer found in their urine by more than 70 percent. The researchers collected a total of 158 urine samples from four families –seven adults and nine children ... U.S. study shows switch to organic diet can quickly clear pesticide from our bodies

EPA removes name of U.S. official from warning of glyphosate cancer links

(Update with EPA explanation) In an unusual move, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted the name of a high-ranking U.S. health official from a public comment that warned of cancer links to the weed killing chemical glyphosate and called for a halt to industry manipulation of research. The public comment in question was submitted ... EPA removes name of U.S. official from warning of glyphosate cancer links

Panicked chemical giants seek leeway in court ban on their weed killers

Citing an “emergency,” chemical giants BASF and DuPont have asked a federal court to allow them to intervene in a case in which the court earlier this month ordered their dicamba herbicides to be immediately banned along with a dicamba product made by Monsanto owner Bayer AG. The action by the chemical companies follows a ... Panicked chemical giants seek leeway in court ban on their weed killers

Stuart Smyth: agrichemical industry ties and funding

Stuart Smyth, PhD, promotes and defends genetically engineered foods and pesticides as an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan. Since 2014, he has held the Industry Funded Research Chair in Agri-Food Innovation. Industry funding Funders (described as “investing partners”) of Smyth’s research chair position include Bayer ... Stuart Smyth: agrichemical industry ties and funding

Appeals court focused on damages question ahead of Johnson v. Monsanto hearing

A California appeals court looks poised to issue a ruling that would uphold the first U.S. trial victory involving allegations that Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer causes cancer. The California Courts of Appeal First Appellate District on Wednesday notified lawyers for plaintiff Dewayne “Lee” Johnson and legal counsel for Monsanto that they should be prepared to ... Appeals court focused on damages question ahead of Johnson v. Monsanto hearing

Bayer shareholder meeting draws protests, pleas from cancer patients

The Bayer AG annual shareholders’ meeting got underway Tuesday in Germany, drawing the attention of not only investors and analysts but also activists, lawyers and cancer patients who want to see Bayer make amends for alleged misdeeds by Monsanto, which Bayer bought two years ago. The meeting was to be an in-person event in Bonn, ... Bayer shareholder meeting draws protests, pleas from cancer patients

Questions for the Bayer Shareholder Meeting, by Carey Gillam

Earlier this year, our colleague Carey Gillam was offered a speaking slot by a Bayer shareholders’ group at the company’s annual meeting in Bonn, Germany. Due to Covid-19, the in-person meeting has been canceled and the Bayer shareholders convened in a virtual meeting on April 28 at 10:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST). In lieu ... Questions for the Bayer Shareholder Meeting, by Carey Gillam

10 Revelations from the U.S. Right to Know Investigations

Please support our food investigations by making atax-deductible donation today. Internal Monsanto documents released in 2019 provide a rare look inside pesticide and food companies that try to discredit public interest groups and journalists. The documents (posted here) show that Monsanto and its new owner, Bayer, were especially worried about U.S. Right to Know, a ... 10 Revelations from the U.S. Right to Know Investigations

Shareholder files suit against Bayer over “disastrous” Monsanto acquisition

A California shareholder of Bayer AG on Friday filed a lawsuit against the companies’ top executives claiming they breached their duty of “prudence” and “loyalty” to the company and investors by buying Monsanto Co. in 2018, an acquisition the suit claims has “inflicted billions of dollars of damages” on the company. Plaintiff Rebecca R. Haussmann, ... Shareholder files suit against Bayer over “disastrous” Monsanto acquisition

Dicamba litigation against Bayer, BASF poised to explode, lawyers say

Thousands of farmers from multiple states are expected to join mass tort litigation pending in federal court over claims that weed-killing products developed by the former Monsanto Co. and other chemical companies are destroying and contaminating crops, including organic production, a group of lawyers and farmers said on Wednesday. The number of farmers seeking legal ... Dicamba litigation against Bayer, BASF poised to explode, lawyers say

What would you say to Bayer at its annual shareholder meeting?

UPDATE: Thanks to all who contributed to our travel fund to send our colleague Carey Gillam to Bonn, Germany, to attend the Bayer shareholder meeting April 28. We reached our fundraising goal in five days with more than two-dozen donors including a generous contribution of frequent flier miles. Stay tuned for Carey’s reporting from Bonn. Our colleague ... What would you say to Bayer at its annual shareholder meeting?

Monsanto loses effort to head off St. Louis trial that starts next week

Monsanto’s German owner Bayer AG has failed in efforts to head off a Missouri trial over claims brought by cancer patients that Monsanto’s herbicide caused their diseases and Monsanto hid the risks. In a ruling handed down Wednesday, St. Louis City Judge Elizabeth Byrne Hogan of Missouri’s 22nd Circuit ruled that the company wasn’t entitled ... Monsanto loses effort to head off St. Louis trial that starts next week

Gift Ideas: Best 2019 Books and Movies About Our Food System 

If you like to give friends and family the gift of knowledge about our food, we’re here with recommendations for 2019 books and movies that illuminate the issues close to our hearts. At U.S. Right to Know, we believe that transparency – in the marketplace and in politics – is crucial to building a healthier ... Gift Ideas: Best 2019 Books and Movies About Our Food System 

See the Email Trail Showing Influence Peddling by Press Association to Bayer

Journalists around the globe have reacted with outrage to revelations published in The Guardian this week that show Thanos Dimadis, the former executive director of the Foreign Press Foundation, offered an unusual arrangement to Bayer AG that called for using the press organization, which is dedicated to protecting a free press, in ways that would ... See the Email Trail Showing Influence Peddling by Press Association to Bayer

Is Cargill’s new stevia plant the ‘farm’ of the future?

The international food conglomerate Cargill is  ramping up commercial-scale production  of its genetically engineered sweetener, EverSweet, in a new $50 million production facility that began operating this week in Blair, Nebraska. The plant will “be producing enough EverSweet to sweeten many millions of bottles/cans of soft drinks or servings of yogurt each month,” according to ... Is Cargill’s new stevia plant the ‘farm’ of the future?

An Unappetizing Analysis from the FDA

Last month the Food & Drug Administration published its latest annual analysis of the levels of pesticide residues that contaminate the fruits and veggies and other foods we Americans routinely put on our dinner plates. The fresh data adds to growing consumer concern and scientific debate over how pesticide residues in food may contribute – ... An Unappetizing Analysis from the FDA

Monsanto Makes New Bid to Block St. Louis Trial

Less than a month away from what would be the fourth Roundup cancer trial to pit cancer victims against the former agrochemical giant Monsanto Co., lawyers for the opposing sides continue to battle over how, when and where the case should – or should not – be heard. Lawyers for Monsanto and for its German ... Monsanto Makes New Bid to Block St. Louis Trial

I’m a Journalist. Monsanto Built a Strategy to Destroy My Reputation

This story originally ran in  The Guardian  on August 9, 2019 By Carey Gillam As a journalist who has covered corporate America for more than 30 years, very little shocks me about the propaganda tactics companies often deploy. I know the pressure companies can and do bring to bear when trying to effect positive coverage ... I’m a Journalist. Monsanto Built a Strategy to Destroy My Reputation

Tech, Medical and Farm Groups Ask Appeals Court to Overturn Verdict Against Monsanto

Groups representing farm, medical and biotechnology interests have filed briefs with the California Court of Appeal, aligning with Monsanto in asking the court to overturn last summer’s jury verdict that found Monsanto’s glyphosate-herbicides cause cancer and determined that the company spent years covering up the risks. The groups are urging the appeals court to either ... Tech, Medical and Farm Groups Ask Appeals Court to Overturn Verdict Against Monsanto

Top Findings of the U.S. Right To Know Investigations

U.S. Right to Know, a nonprofit investigative group, has obtained hundreds of thousands of pages of documents revealing – for the first time – how food and pesticide corporations are working behind the scenes to undermine our nation’s scientific, academic, political and regulatory institutions. Many of these documents are now posted in the free, searchable ... Top Findings of the U.S. Right To Know Investigations

Emails Reveal Science Publisher Found Papers On Herbicide Safety Should Be Retracted Due to Monsanto Meddling

Secretive influence by Monsanto in a set of papers published in the scientific journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology was so unethical that an investigation by the publisher found that at least three of the papers should be retracted, according to a series of internal journal communications. The journal editor refused to retract the papers,  which ... Emails Reveal Science Publisher Found Papers On Herbicide Safety Should Be Retracted Due to Monsanto Meddling

Judge Cuts Amount Monsanto Owner Bayer Owes Cancer Victim

A federal judge has slashed the punitive damages a jury ordered Monsanto to pay to cancer victim Edwin Hardeman from $75 million to $20 million, despite the judge’s description of Monsanto’s conduct surrounding questions about the safety of its Roundup herbicide as “reprehensible.” U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ruled Monday that the jury’s decision in the ... Judge Cuts Amount Monsanto Owner Bayer Owes Cancer Victim