Monsanto Archives

Dicamba: Concerns about health risks and crop damage

Carey Gillam | January 18, 2024

Dicamba(3, 6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) is a broad-spectrum herbicide first registered in 1967. The herbicide is used on agricultural crops, fallow land, pastures, turfgrass and rangeland. Dicamba is also registered for non-agricultural uses in residential areas and other sites, such as golf courses where it is primarily used to control broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, chickweed, clover … Dicamba: Concerns about health risks and crop damage

Aspartame: Decades of science point to serious health risks

Stacy Malkan | May 18, 2024

Dozens of studies have linked aspartame — the world’s most widely used artificial sweetener — to serious health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, stroke and dementia, as well as negative effects such as intestinal dysbiosis, mood disorders, headaches and migraines.

Corporate influence at the University of Saskatchewan: Professor Peter Phillips and his secret ‘right to know symposium’

Stacy Malkan | June 11, 2020

Tens of thousands of pages of internal documents obtained by U.S. Right to Know via public records requests reveal the close – and often secret – ties between Monsanto, its PR groups, and a group of professors who promote GMOs and pesticides. In one example, the investigation turned up details about Monsanto’s work with Peter … Corporate influence at the University of Saskatchewan: Professor Peter Phillips and his secret ‘right to know symposium’

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

Stacy Malkan | July 14, 2022

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.

Jay Byrne: Meet the Man Behind the Monsanto PR Machine

Stacy Malkan | February 1, 2019

Monsanto’s former Director of Corporate Communications Jay Byrne, president of the public relations firm v-Fluence, is a key player in the covert propaganda and lobbying campaigns of the world’s largest agrichemical companies. Emails obtained by U.S. Right to Know, posted in the UCSF Chemical Industry Documents Archive, reveal a range of deceptive tactics Byrne and … Jay Byrne: Meet the Man Behind the Monsanto PR Machine

Food Evolution GMO film is ‘agribusiness propaganda’

Stacy Malkan | February 4, 2018

Food Evolution, a documentary produced by Scott Hamilton Kennedy and narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, claims to look at all points of view in the debate over genetically modified foods (GMOs) debate. But the film quickly devolves into a hard sell for GMOs, based on specious claims and industry sources. See below for our June … Food Evolution GMO film is ‘agribusiness propaganda’

CropLife International — key facts

Stacy Malkan | March 1, 2018

Summary CropLife International (CLI) is a trade association founded in 2001 representing the manufacturers of the world’s largest manufacturers of genetically engineered seeds and pesticides. Members include BASF, Bayer, Monsanto, Syngenta, Corteva (formerly DowDuPont), Sumitomo Chemical and FMC. The trade group also has 15 member associations: AfricaBio; AgroBio Brazil; AgroBio Mexico; ArgenBio; Biotechnology Innovation Organization, … CropLife International — key facts

Tracking the pesticide industry propaganda network

Stacy Malkan | March 5, 2023

Our series of fact sheets shines light on the pesticide industry’s hidden propaganda network: the front groups, academics, journalists and others the pesticide companies rely on for their PR and product-defense campaigns.

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

Stacy Malkan | March 30, 2020

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

Glyphosate: Cancer and other health concerns

Stacy Malkan | August 13, 2024

Glyphosate, a synthetic herbicide patented in 1974 by the Monsanto Company and now manufactured and sold by many companies in hundreds of products, has been associated with cancer and many other health concerns discussed in this fact sheet. Glyphosate is best known as the active ingredient in Roundup-branded herbicides, and the herbicide used with “Roundup … Glyphosate: Cancer and other health concerns

Secret Documents Expose Monsanto’s War on Cancer Scientists

Stacy Malkan | October 1, 2018

By Stacy Malkan (updated May 17, 2019) DeWayne Johnson, a 46-year-old father dying of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, was the first person to face Monsanto in trial in 2018 over allegations the company hid evidence about the cancer-causing dangers of its Roundup weedkiller. Juries have since returned with three unanimous verdicts finding that glyphosate-based Roundup herbicides were … Secret Documents Expose Monsanto’s War on Cancer Scientists

Moms Exposed to Monsanto Weed Killer Means Bad Outcomes for Babies

Carey Gillam | April 5, 2017

Concerns about the world’s most widely used herbicide are taking a new twist as researchers unveil data that indicates pervasive use of Monsanto Co.’s weed killer could be linked to pregnancy problems. Researchers looking at exposure to the herbicide known as glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup branded herbicides, said they tested and tracked … Moms Exposed to Monsanto Weed Killer Means Bad Outcomes for Babies

USDA Drops Plan to Test for Monsanto Weed Killer in Food

Carey Gillam | March 24, 2017

By Carey Gillam The U.S. Department of Agriculture has quietly dropped a plan to start testing food for residues of glyphosate, the world’s most widely used weed killer and the key ingredient in Monsanto Co.’s branded Roundup herbicides. The agency spent the last year coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and … USDA Drops Plan to Test for Monsanto Weed Killer in Food

The Rise of Anti-Women, Anti-Public Health Groups

Stacy Malkan | November 30, 2017

This article first appeared in Huffington Post. By Stacy Malkan At a recent soiree at Union Station, the DC power elite gathered in an anti-public health confab dressed up as a celebration of women that should concern anyone who cares about the health and rights of women and children. The Independent Women’s Forum drew an … The Rise of Anti-Women, Anti-Public Health Groups

Tests Show Monsanto Weed Killer in Cheerios, Other Popular Foods

Carey Gillam | November 18, 2016

Independent testing on an array of popular American food products found many samples contained residue levels of the weed killer called glyphosate, leading the nonprofit organization behind the testing to call for corporate and regulatory action to address consumer safety concerns. The herbicide residues were found in cookies, crackers, popular cold cereals and chips commonly … Tests Show Monsanto Weed Killer in Cheerios, Other Popular Foods

Canadians Report Weed Killer Detected in 30 Percent of Food Tested

Carey Gillam | April 12, 2017

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has gone where the U.S. government dares not tread – testing thousands of foods commonly consumed by its citizens for residues of a controversial herbicide linked to cancer. And the findings are less than appetizing. The agency said it found the pesticide known as glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto … Canadians Report Weed Killer Detected in 30 Percent of Food Tested

New ‘Monsanto Papers’ Add To Questions Of Regulatory Collusion, Scientific Mischief

Carey Gillam | August 1, 2017

The other shoe just dropped. Four months after the publication of a batch of internal Monsanto Co. documents stirred international controversy, a new trove of company records was released early Tuesday, providing fresh fuel for a heated global debate over whether or not the agricultural chemical giant suppressed information about the potential dangers of its … New ‘Monsanto Papers’ Add To Questions Of Regulatory Collusion, Scientific Mischief

Monsanto Weed Killer: Scientific Manipulation Revealed

Stacy Malkan | March 17, 2017

Also see: MDL Monsanto Glyphosate Cancer Case Key Documents and Analysisand US Right to Know Sues EPA for Release of Glyphosate Documents By Carey Gillam The puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place, but so far it’s not a pretty picture. A series of internal Monsanto Co. documents revealed this week via a court … Monsanto Weed Killer: Scientific Manipulation Revealed

Monsanto Spin Doctors Target Cancer Scientist In Flawed Reuters Story

Carey Gillam | June 19, 2017

In a well-orchestrated and highly coordinated media coup, Monsanto Co. and friends this week dropped a bombshell on opponents who are seeking to prove that the company’s beloved Roundup herbicide causes cancer. A widely circulated story published June 14 in the global news outlet Reuters (for which I formerly worked) laid out what appeared to … Monsanto Spin Doctors Target Cancer Scientist In Flawed Reuters Story

Monsanto, EPA Seek to Keep Talks Secret On Glyphosate Cancer Review

Stacy Malkan | January 19, 2017

By Carey Gillam Monsanto Co. and officials within the Environmental Protection Agency are fighting legal efforts aimed at exploring Monsanto’s influence over regulatory assessments of the key chemical in the company’s Roundup herbicide, new federal court filings show. The revelations are contained in a series of filings made within the last few days in the … Monsanto, EPA Seek to Keep Talks Secret On Glyphosate Cancer Review

FDA Suspends Testing for Glyphosate Residues in Food

Stacy Malkan | November 11, 2016

By Carey Gillam Government testing for residues of an herbicide that has been linked to cancer has been put on hold, slowing the Food and Drug Administration’s first-ever endeavor to get a handle on just how much of the controversial chemical is making its way into U.S. foods. The FDA, the nation’s chief food safety … FDA Suspends Testing for Glyphosate Residues in Food

FDA Resumes Testing Foods For Weed Killer, Safety Questions Grow

Carey Gillam | June 8, 2017

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has resumed its first-ever endeavor to evaluate how much of a controversial chemical is making its way into the U.S. food supply. And the tests can’t come soon enough as safety concerns about the herbicide known as glyphosate grow. The FDA, the nation’s chief food safety regulator, launched what … FDA Resumes Testing Foods For Weed Killer, Safety Questions Grow

Collusion or Coincidence? Records Show EPA Efforts to Slow Herbicide Review Came in Coordination with Monsanto

Carey Gillam | August 17, 2017

Newly released government email communications show a persistent effort by multiple officials within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to slow a separate federal agency’s safety review of Monsanto’s top-selling herbicide. Notably, the records demonstrate that the EPA efforts came at the behest of Monsanto, and that EPA officials were helpful enough to keep the chemical … Collusion or Coincidence? Records Show EPA Efforts to Slow Herbicide Review Came in Coordination with Monsanto

Monsanto’s fingerprints all over Newsweek’s hit on organic food

Stacy Malkan | January 23, 2018

Update: Newsweek’s bizarre response By Stacy Malkan “The campaign for organic food is a deceitful, expensive scam,” according to a Jan. 19 Newsweek article authored by Dr. Henry I. Miller of the Hoover Institution. If that name sounds familiar – Henry I. Miller – it may be because the New York Times recently revealed a … Monsanto’s fingerprints all over Newsweek’s hit on organic food

The Dicamba Papers: Key documents and analysis

Gary Ruskin | June 20, 2021

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

Monsanto fingerprints found all over attack on organic food

Stacy Malkan | July 1, 2016

By Stacy Malkan When a reputable-sounding nonprofit organization released a report attacking the organic food industry in April 2014, the group went to great lengths to tout its independence. The 30-page report by Academics Review, described as “a non-profit led by independent academic experts in agriculture and food sciences,” found that consumers were being duped into spending more … Monsanto fingerprints found all over attack on organic food

Henry I. Miller’s long history of science denial and product defense

Gary Ruskin | January 18, 2023

Five years after a Monsanto ghostwriting scandal prompted Forbes to delete dozens of his articles, Dr. Miller joins the “full-time writing staff” of the corporate front group American Council on Science and Health.

How academics, universities help pesticide companies with PR and product defense

Stacy Malkan | December 11, 2022

Read what the Monsanto documents reveal about the key role academics and universities play in pesticide industry product-defense efforts to protect glyphosate and the GMO seeds designed to tolerate the chemical.

Academics Review: The making of a Monsanto front group to attack the organic industry

Stacy Malkan | May 31, 2018

Academics Review, a nonprofit organization launched in 2012, claimed to be an independent group, but documents obtained by U.S. Right to Know revealed it was a front group, set up with the help of Monsanto executives and public relations operatives, to attack the organic industry and critics of GMOs — while appearing to be independent. … Academics Review: The making of a Monsanto front group to attack the organic industry

Hank Campbell’s maze of Monsanto-loving science blogs

Stacy Malkan | December 6, 2018

Update: As this article was about to publish in December 2018, Hank Campbell was removed from the staff roster of the American Council on Science and Health, the organization he has led as president since July 2015, for unknown reasons. A few days later, he delinked his ring of science blogs (Science 2.0, Science Codex, … Hank Campbell’s maze of Monsanto-loving science blogs

GMO Answers is a marketing campaign funded by pesticide companies

Stacy Malkan | August 31, 2020

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

Gates-funded ‘Alliance for Science’ accused of peddling misinformation

Stacy Malkan | September 18, 2023

The Alliance for Science is a public relations campaign that trains spokespeople and creates networks of influence, particularly in African countries, to persuade the public and policymakers to accept GMOs and pesticides. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the effort in 2014 with a $5.6 million grant and has since donated $22 million to … Gates-funded ‘Alliance for Science’ accused of peddling misinformation

Glyphosate spin check: Tracking claims about the most widely used herbicide

Stacy Malkan | April 26, 2019

Amid global debate over the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides such as Monsanto’s Roundup, numerous claims have been made to defend the product’s safety. In the wake of two recent landmark jury rulings that found Roundup to be a substantial factor in causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, we examined some of these claims and fact-checked them for accuracy. … Glyphosate spin check: Tracking claims about the most widely used herbicide

Geoffrey Kabat’s ties to tobacco and chemical industry groups

Stacy Malkan | March 7, 2019

Geoffrey Kabat, PhD, is a cancer epidemiologist and author of two books arguing that that health hazards of pesticides, electromagnetic fields, secondhand tobacco smoke and other environmental exposures are “greatly overblown.” He is often quoted in the press as an independent expert on cancer risk. Reporters who use Dr. Kabat as a source should be … Geoffrey Kabat’s ties to tobacco and chemical industry groups

CBI, GMO Answers, CropLife: pesticide industry PR salvos

Stacy Malkan | September 2, 2020

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

American Council on Science and Health is a corporate front group

Gary Ruskin | January 19, 2023

The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) describes itself as a “pro-science consumer advocacy organization” and media outlets often quote the group as an independent science source; however, documents described in this fact sheet establish that ACSH is corporate front group that solicits money from tobacco, chemical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical companies and trade groups in … American Council on Science and Health is a corporate front group

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

Stacy Malkan | April 12, 2022

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

Biofortified Aids Chemical Industry PR & Lobbying Efforts

Stacy Malkan | May 31, 2018

Biology Fortified Inc., known as “Biofortified,” is a nonprofit organization that works closely with the agrichemical industry and its collaborators on public relations and lobbying campaigns to defend genetically engineered foods and pesticides, and attack industry critics. Board members and bloggers are key agrichemical industry allies Current and former board members and blog authors listed … Biofortified Aids Chemical Industry PR & Lobbying Efforts

IFIC explainer: How Big Food defends ultra-processed foods, pesticides, artificial sweeteners

Stacy Malkan | October 29, 2022

The International Food Information Council (IFIC), a trade group funded by large food and pesticide companies, misleads the public about diet and health, according to documents obtained by U.S. Right to Know. IFIC is widely cited in the media as a source on issues related to food and health. IFIC and its nonprofit foundation spend … IFIC explainer: How Big Food defends ultra-processed foods, pesticides, artificial sweeteners

Pesticide industry disinformation: What’s at stake? Health, climate, biodiversity

Stacy Malkan | December 20, 2022

Excerpt from Merchants of Poison report examines the rise of glyphosate and GMOs, and what’s at stake for health, climate and biodiversity.

Meet the Merchants of Poison: Front groups Bayer uses to defend glyphosate

Stacy Malkan | January 10, 2023

Monsanto and Bayer’s PR helpers are an industry unto themselves.

How pesticide companies dominate Google News searches

Stacy Malkan | March 22, 2023

Pesticide companies use stealth tactics to dominate Google News with industry messaging and weaponize the web. Their documents reveal some details about how they do it.

The misleading ways of Dr. Kevin Folta

Stacy Malkan | June 20, 2023

Kevin Folta, Ph.D., a professor in the Horticulture Sciences Department at University of Florida, has provided inaccurate information and engaged in misleading activities in his efforts to promote genetically engineered foods and pesticides. He is a senior contributing columnist to the Genetic Literacy Project, a chemical industry promotion group that receives funding from Bayer. He … The misleading ways of Dr. Kevin Folta

Mark Lynas’ inaccurate, deceptive promotions for GMOs and pesticides

Stacy Malkan | September 18, 2023

Mark Lynas is a former journalist turned public relations advocate for genetically engineered foods and pesticides. He makes inaccurate claims about those products from his perch at the Gates Foundation-funded Cornell Alliance for Science (which has dropped “Cornell” from its name). The Alliance for Science is a PR campaign that trains spokespeople and creates networks … Mark Lynas’ inaccurate, deceptive promotions for GMOs and pesticides

Monsanto’s campaign against U.S. Right To Know: Read the documents

Stacy Malkan | January 13, 2024

In 2021, the Society for Professional Journalists, NorCal chapter, honored U.S. Right to Know with the James Madison Freedom of Information Awards for our work obtaining internal corporate documents that showed how Monsanto recruited public university professors to support its PR goals. Concerned that our research would uncover its influence in academic circles, Monsanto “created … Monsanto’s campaign against U.S. Right To Know: Read the documents

Monsanto relied on these ‘partners’ to attack top cancer scientists

Stacy Malkan | March 31, 2019

In a confidential public relations plan dated February 2015, Monsanto laid out is plans to discredit the World Health Organization’s cancer research unit, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A month later, the international group of experts judged glyphosate — the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer — to be probably carcinogenic … Monsanto relied on these ‘partners’ to attack top cancer scientists

Report from the Glyphosate Daubert Hearings

Stacy Malkan | March 15, 2018

Update 3/19: Judge Chhabria ordered an additional hearing for two of the plaintiffs’ witnesses. Follow Carey Gillam on Twitter for more updates about the legislation and we continue to post documents on our Monsanto Papers page. Court Transcripts from Daubert Hearings Friday March 9 transcript Thursday March 8 transcript Wednesday March 7 transcript Tuesday March … Report from the Glyphosate Daubert Hearings

Science Media Centre promotes corporate views of science

Stacy Malkan | November 2, 2023

The Science Media Centre (SMC) is a nonprofit public relations agency partially funded by corporations and industry groups whose products the group often defends. Current and past funders include BASF, Bayer, DuPont, Monsanto, Coca-Cola, Nestle, and food, chemical and nuclear industry trade organizations, as well as media groups, government agencies, foundations and universities. The SMC … Science Media Centre promotes corporate views of science

International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a food industry lobby group

Stacy Malkan | September 16, 2023

The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a corporate-funded nonprofit organization based in Washington DC, with affiliated chapters around the world. ILSI describes itself as a group that conducts “science for the public good” and “improves human health and well-being and safeguards the environment.” However, investigations by academics, journalists and public interest researchers show that … International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a food industry lobby group

Decades of Deceit: Carey Gillam’s presentation to the European Parliament glyphosate hearing

Gary Ruskin | October 12, 2017

Carey Gillam is an investigative journalist and award-winning author who spent 17 years on the food and agriculture beat for Reuters. Gillam is now research director of the public interest research group U.S. Right to Know. These remarks were delivered Oct. 11, 2017 before a joint public hearing on “The Monsanto Papers and Glyphosate” before … Decades of Deceit: Carey Gillam’s presentation to the European Parliament glyphosate hearing

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