Monsanto Archives

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

Stacy Malkan | November 11, 2020

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

Stuart Smyth: agrichemical industry ties and funding

Stacy Malkan | June 1, 2020

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

Challenge eyed to class action plan for Bayer Roundup settlement

Carey Gillam | June 26, 2020

A plan to delay any new Roundup cancer claims for years and shift the key question of whether or not the weed killer causes cancer from a jury to a hand-picked panel of scientists faces potential opposition from some of the plaintiffs’ attorneys who initiated and led the mass tort claims against Roundup maker Monsanto, … Challenge eyed to class action plan for Bayer Roundup settlement

Another St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Officially Postponed Until 2020

Carey Gillam | October 7, 2019

A trial set to start next week over claims that Monsanto’s Roundup weed killers cause cancer has been postponed until at least next year, according to a judge’s ruling on Friday. The trial would have been the first of its kind to take place in the St. Louis area, Monsanto’s hometown before the company sold … Another St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Officially Postponed Until 2020

Merchants of Poison webinar: The high stakes of pesticide industry disinformation

Stacy Malkan | June 15, 2023

Based on internal corporate documents, the Merchants of Poison report offers a rare look inside the science denial and disinformation tactics Monsanto used to defend its profits from glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer. In this webinar, report author Stacy Malkan of U.S. Right to Know shares five core tactics the company and other pesticide … Merchants of Poison webinar: The high stakes of pesticide industry disinformation

Pamela Ronald’s Ties to Chemical Industry Front Groups

Stacy Malkan | December 27, 2018

Founded, led UC Davis group that elevated industry PR efforts Dr. Ronald was the founding director of the World Food Center’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Literacy (IFAL), a group launched in 2014 at UC Davis to train faculty and students to promote genetically engineered foods, crops and pesticides. The group does not fully disclose … Pamela Ronald’s Ties to Chemical Industry Front Groups

Julie Kelly cooks up propaganda for the pesticide industry

Stacy Malkan | February 13, 2017

Julie Kelly is a food writer and cooking instructor who emerged in 2015 as a fierce advocate for the agrichemical industry, with articles defending pesticides, arguing against GMO labeling and attacking the organic food industry. Her work has appeared in the National Review, The Hill, Huffington Post, the Wall Street Journal and Forbes. An award-winning … Julie Kelly cooks up propaganda for the pesticide industry

Bay Area Man vs. Monsanto: First Trial Over Roundup Cancer Claims Set to Begin

Stacy Malkan | June 19, 2018

By Carey Gillam Dewayne “Lee” Johnson has led what many might call an unremarkable life. The 46-year-old father and husband spent several years working as a school groundskeeper and spending free time teaching his two young sons to play football. But this week he takes center stage in a global debate over the safety of … Bay Area Man vs. Monsanto: First Trial Over Roundup Cancer Claims Set to Begin

Farmers Vs. Monsanto: The Glyphosate Trials

Stacy Malkan | March 5, 2018

“Science Week” in a federal court will decide if farmer cancer lawsuits move forward Live updates from court hearings by Carey Gillam Transcripts of Daubert Hearings posted here News Release For Immediate Release: Monday, March 5, 2018 For More Information Contact: Carey Gillam (913) 526-6190; Stacy Malkan (510) 542-9224 San Francisco, Calif.; March 5, 2018 — A … Farmers Vs. Monsanto: The Glyphosate Trials

Our Investigation of Big Food and its Front Groups

Gary Ruskin | September 5, 2015

Update: This blog has been updated to include a running list of news stories and commentary generated by our ongoing investigation. U.S. Right to Know is conducting an investigation into the collusion between Big Food, its front groups, and university faculty and staff to deliver industry PR to the public.That investigation is ongoing. Thus far, … Our Investigation of Big Food and its Front Groups

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”

SciBabe says eat your pesticides. But who is paying her?

Stacy Malkan | March 31, 2018

Blogging under the name SciBabe, Yvette d’Entremont defends toxic chemicals in food products and promotes pesticides as safe. She has received funding and honoraria from a variety of companies and industry groups. In 2017, the artificial sweetener company SPLENDA hired SciBabe to “debunk junk science” in defense of their product.SciBabe has been a featured speaker … SciBabe says eat your pesticides. But who is paying her?

New weed killer studies raise concern for reproductive health

Carey Gillam | August 12, 2020

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

A Story Behind the Monsanto Cancer Trial — Journal Sits on Retraction

Susan Lang | August 22, 2018

What “ghostwriting” by Monsanto means, how it has influenced, and still is influencing, material found in peer-reviewed scientific journals Thisarticlewasoriginallypublishedin EnvironmentalHealthNews. By Carey Gillam and Nathan Donley Consumers and journalists around the world were stunned earlier this month when Monsanto, after being forced in a court of law for the first time to defend the … A Story Behind the Monsanto Cancer Trial — Journal Sits on Retraction

Newsweek’s Bizarre Standards for Opinion Writers

Stacy Malkan | January 31, 2018

March 2019 update: Newsweek gets ad money from Bayer; publishes op-eds favorable to Bayer By Stacy Malkan Facts don’t matter in commentaries printed by Newsweek as long as the writer “seems genuine.” That’s the troubling implication from an email exchange I had with Newsweek Opinion Editor Nicholas Wapshott after I raised concerns about a column … Newsweek’s Bizarre Standards for Opinion Writers

The Monsanto Papers – Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man’s Search for Justice

Stacy Malkan | March 1, 2021

USRTK Research Director Carey Gillam’s new book is out now and garnering glowing reviews. Here is a brief description of the book from publisher Island Press: Lee Johnson was a man with simple dreams. All he wanted was a steady job and a nice home for his wife and children, something better than the hard … The Monsanto Papers – Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man’s Search for Justice

FDA Finds Monsanto’s Weed Killer In U.S. Honey

Carey Gillam | September 21, 2016

By Carey Gillam The Food and Drug Administration, under public pressure to start testing samples of U.S. food for the presence of a pesticide that has been linked to cancer, has some early findings that are not so sweet. In examining honey samples from various locations in the United States, the FDA has found fresh … FDA Finds Monsanto’s Weed Killer In U.S. Honey

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

Carey Gillam | July 16, 2020

(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

Internal FDA Emails: Weedkiller Found in Granola and Crackers

Susan Lang | May 2, 2018

This article was originally published in the Guardian. By Carey Gillam US government scientists have detected a weedkiller linked to cancer in an array of commonly consumed foods, emails obtained through a freedom of information request show. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been testing food samples for residues of glyphosate, the active ingredient … Internal FDA Emails: Weedkiller Found in Granola and Crackers

New study finds glyphosate-related alterations in gut microbiome

Carey Gillam | January 27, 2021

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

Nina Fedoroff: Mobilizing the authority of American science to back Monsanto

Stacy Malkan | June 18, 2019

As a president and board chair of AAAS from 2011-2013, Dr. Fedoroff advanced agrichemical industry policy objectives. She now works for a lobbying firm. Documents obtained by U.S. Right to Know show how public relations and lobbying efforts are coordinated behind the scenes among the agrichemical industry, front groups and academics who appear independent. Nina … Nina Fedoroff: Mobilizing the authority of American science to back Monsanto

How Tamar Haspel Misleads Readers of the Washington Post

Stacy Malkan | August 23, 2018

Tamar Haspel is a freelance journalist who has been writing monthly food columns for the Washington Post since October 2013. Her columns frequently promote and defend pesticide industry products, while she also receives payments to speak at industry-aligned events, and sometimes from industry groups. This practice of journalists receiving payments from industry groups, known as … How Tamar Haspel Misleads Readers of the Washington Post

Keith Kloor: How a science journalist worked behind the scenes with industry allies

Stacy Malkan | November 1, 2018

Keith Kloor is a freelance journalist and an adjunct journalism faculty member at New York University who has written for Nature, Science Insider, Slateand dozens of articles for Discover Magazinepromoting genetically engineered foods and attacking critics of the pesticide industry, while also assisting industry public relations efforts behind the scenes. Emails obtained by U.S. Right … Keith Kloor: How a science journalist worked behind the scenes with industry allies

USDA Shirking Obligation to Give Consumers Clarity Over Herbicide Residues on Food

Carey Gillam | January 11, 2016

When microbiologist Bruce Hemming was hired two years ago to test breast milk samples for residues of the key ingredient in the popular weed-killer Roundup, Hemming at first scoffed at the possibility.Hemming, the founder of St. Louis-based Microbe Inotech Laboratories, knew that the herbicidal ingredient called glyphosate was not supposed to accumulate in the human … USDA Shirking Obligation to Give Consumers Clarity Over Herbicide Residues on Food

Journalists fail to reveal sources funded by Coca-Cola: A short report

Gary Ruskin | December 14, 2015

During the investigation and subsequent collapse of the Coca-Cola front group Global Energy Balance Network, the New York Times and Associated Press discovered that prominent university professors working on obesity issues had been funded by The Coca-Cola Company. This is not just a public health scandal. It is a journalistic one as well. Journalists have … Journalists fail to reveal sources funded by Coca-Cola: A short report

Why Forbes deleted Kavin Senapathy’s articles

Stacy Malkan | August 31, 2017

Kavin Senapathy emerged as a writer in 2015 with articles promoting GMOs, defending pesticides and attacking critics of the agrichemical industry, many of them published in Forbes. She does not disclose her funding sources. In 2017, Forbes deleted seven articles Senapathy co-authored with Henry I. Miller, a former Hoover Institution fellow, following revelations in the … Why Forbes deleted Kavin Senapathy’s articles

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

Stacy Malkan | April 26, 2022

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

Climate Science Denial Network Funds Toxic Chemical Propaganda

Stacy Malkan | March 2, 2017

They promote GMOs and pesticides, defend toxic chemicals and junk food, and attack people who raise concerns about those products as “anti-science.” Yet Jon Entine, Trevor Butterworth and Henry Miller are funded by the same groups that finance climate-science denial. By Stacy Malkan British writer George Monbiot has a warning for those of us trying … Climate Science Denial Network Funds Toxic Chemical Propaganda

Key pesticide industry PR group CBI closes; GMO Answers moves to CropLife

Stacy Malkan | September 2, 2020

The Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI), a major public relations initiative launched two decades ago by leading agrichemical companies to persuade the public to accept GMOs and pesticides, has shut down. A spokesperson confirmed via email that CBI “dissolved at the end of 2019, and its assets, including the GMO Answers platform, were transferred to … Key pesticide industry PR group CBI closes; GMO Answers moves to CropLife

New analysis of glyphosate industry studies finds them outdated, flawed

Carey Gillam | July 4, 2021

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

Sparks to Fly in Closing Arguments at Third Roundup Cancer Trial

Carey Gillam | May 8, 2019

After two costly courtroom losses, lawyers for Monsanto and its German owner Bayer AG on Wednesday were set to make closing arguments in what is the third trial brought by people who blame their cancers on use of Monsanto’s Roundup and other glyphosate-based weed killer brands. Plaintiffs Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a married couple in … Sparks to Fly in Closing Arguments at Third Roundup Cancer Trial

Up Next – Trial In Monsanto’s Hometown Set for August After $2 Billion Roundup Cancer Verdict

Carey Gillam | May 17, 2019

After three stunning courtroom losses in California, the legal battle over the safety of Monsanto’s top-selling Roundup herbicide is headed for the company’s hometown, where corporate officials can be forced to appear on the witness stand, and legal precedence shows a history of anti-corporate judgments. Sharlean Gordon, an cancer-stricken woman in her 50s, is the … Up Next – Trial In Monsanto’s Hometown Set for August After $2 Billion Roundup Cancer Verdict

“Serious, Deadly Injury” Cited in New Appeals Court Filing Over Roundup Cancer Claims

Carey Gillam | August 19, 2019

ACalifornia appeals court should reject efforts by Monsanto to overturn a jury verdict awarding millions of dollars to a school groundskeeper and approve $250 million in punitive damages the jury ordered a year ago this month in the first Roundup cancer trial, according to a brief in the case filed Monday. The brief filed by … “Serious, Deadly Injury” Cited in New Appeals Court Filing Over Roundup Cancer Claims

SF Roundup Case Demonstrates Importance of Independence in Scientific Evidence

Susan Lang | August 30, 2018

Thisarticlewas originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle. By Nathan Donley and Carey Gillam It’s been three weeks since a San Francisco jury found that exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides contributed to former school groundskeeper Dewayne “Lee” Johnson’s terminal cancer and awarded a stunning $289 million in damages to the 46-year-old father. And during that … SF Roundup Case Demonstrates Importance of Independence in Scientific Evidence

Keeping Secrets From Consumers: Labeling Law a Win for Industry-Academic Collaborations

Carey Gillam | July 15, 2016

You’ve heard the mantra over and over – there are no safety concerns associated with genetically engineered crops. That refrain, music to agrichemical and biotech seed industry ears, has been sung repeatedly by U.S. lawmakers who have just passed a national law that allows companies to avoid stating on food packages if those products contain … Keeping Secrets From Consumers: Labeling Law a Win for Industry-Academic Collaborations

Six Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trials Set for January

Carey Gillam | November 26, 2019

After several months out of the headlines, lawyers for both sides of the nationwide Roundup cancer litigation are gearing up for overlapping trials in the new year as several more cancer patients seek to blame Monsanto for their diseases. Six trials are currently set to take place starting in January, with one in February, two … Six Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trials Set for January

Big Ag groups argue court cannot tell EPA when to ban dicamba

Carey Gillam | June 17, 2020

The heaviest of Big Ag’s heavy hitters told a federal court it should not try to stop GMO cotton and soybean farmers from using illegal dicamba weed killers through the end of July, despite the court’s order earlier this month for an immediate ban. Six national trade associations, all of which have long-standing financial ties … Big Ag groups argue court cannot tell EPA when to ban dicamba

Bayer settles U.S. Roundup, dicamba and PCB litigation for more than $10 billion

Carey Gillam | June 24, 2020

In an expensive clean-up of Monsanto litigation messes, Bayer AG said Wednesday that it will pay out more than $10 billion to settle tens of thousands of U.S. claims brought against Monsanto over its Roundup herbicide, as well as $400 million to resolve lawsuits over Monsanto’s dicamba herbicide and $650 million for PCB pollution claims. … Bayer settles U.S. Roundup, dicamba and PCB litigation for more than $10 billion

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

Carey Gillam | September 9, 2020

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

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

Carey Gillam | September 17, 2020

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

What Killed Jack McCall? A Farmer Dies; A Case Against Monsanto Takes Root

Stacy Malkan | May 9, 2016

By Carey Gillam CAMBRIA, Calif.- Standing on the ridge overlooking her central California farm, new widow Teri McCall sees her husband Jack nearly everywhere. There, atop the highest hill, is where the couple married in 1975- two self-described “hippies’ who knew more about how to surf than farm. And over there, surrounded by the lemon, … What Killed Jack McCall? A Farmer Dies; A Case Against Monsanto Takes Root

CDC Official Exits Agency After Coca-Cola Connections Come to Light

Carey Gillam | July 1, 2016

By Carey Gillam A veteran leader within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced her immediate departure from the agency on Thursday, two days after it came to light that she had been offering guidance to a leading Coca-Cola advocate who was seeking to influence world health authorities on sugar and beverage policy matters. … CDC Official Exits Agency After Coca-Cola Connections Come to Light

FDA Tests Confirm Oatmeal, Baby Foods Contain Residues of Monsanto Weed Killer

Carey Gillam | September 30, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is quietly starting to test certain foods for residues of a weed killing chemical linked to cancer, has found the residues in a variety of oat products, including plain and flavored oat cereals for babies. Data compiled by an FDA chemist and presented to other chemists at a … FDA Tests Confirm Oatmeal, Baby Foods Contain Residues of Monsanto Weed Killer

EPA Bows to Chemical Industry in Delay of Glyphosate Cancer Review

Stacy Malkan | October 20, 2016

By Carey Gillam This might have been a tough week for Monsanto Co. The Environmental Protection Agency was slated to hold four days of public meetings focused on essentially one question: Is glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide and the lynchpin to Monsanto’s fortunes, as safe as Monsanto has spent 40 years telling us … EPA Bows to Chemical Industry in Delay of Glyphosate Cancer Review

How Monsanto Manufactured ‘Outrage’ at IARC over Cancer Classification

Stacy Malkan | September 19, 2017

By Carey Gillam Three years ago this month Monsanto executives realized they had a big problem on their hands. It was September 2014 and the company’s top-selling chemical, the weed killer called glyphosate that is the foundation for Monsanto’s branded Roundup products, had been selected as one among a handful of pesticides to undergo scrutiny … How Monsanto Manufactured ‘Outrage’ at IARC over Cancer Classification

Open Letter to STAT: It’s Time for Stronger Transparency Standards

Stacy Malkan | February 28, 2018

Dear Rick Berke and Gideon Gil, At a time when the public is questioning the legitimacy of news media – and science itself – it is important for health and science publications such as STAT to serve the public with as much truth and transparency as possible. We write to ask you to step forward … Open Letter to STAT: It’s Time for Stronger Transparency Standards

Val Giddings: Top Operative for the Agrichemical Industry

Stacy Malkan | November 9, 2018

Val Giddings, PhD, is a key player in agrichemical industry efforts to oppose transparency and safety regulations for genetically engineered foods and pesticides. Emails obtained by U.S. Right to Know and posted in the UCSF Chemical Industry Documents Library indicate that Dr. Giddings helped set up a corporate front group and played a key behind-the-scenes … Val Giddings: Top Operative for the Agrichemical Industry

Chemicals on Our Food: When “Safe” May Not Really Be Safe

Susan Lang | November 27, 2018

Scientific scrutiny of pesticide residue in food grows; regulatory protections questioned This article was originally published in Environmental Health News. By Carey Gillam Weed killers in wheat crackers and cereals, insecticides in apple juice and a mix of multiple pesticides in spinach, string beans and other veggies – all are part of the daily diets … Chemicals on Our Food: When “Safe” May Not Really Be Safe

Hillary Clinton’s Two Missteps

Gary Ruskin | January 14, 2015

As the 2016 campaign shapes up, it’s interesting to watch the candidates for clues about their food politics. Thus far, Hillary Clinton has made two missteps. The Wall Street Journal reported that Clinton’s team has hired Wendy Clark, a senior vice president at Coca-Cola. As our nation struggles with an epidemic of obesity, type 2 … Hillary Clinton’s Two Missteps

Calorie Control Council (CCC) – key facts

Gary Ruskin | January 17, 2015

Summary *Calorie Control Council is a trade group for manufacturers of artificial sweeteners *The CCC has “a penchant for stealthy public relations tactics” * CCC is run by a public relations company, “functions more like an industry front group than a trade association” *The PR firm that runs CCC represents asbestos manufacturers, oil companies, Monsanto, … Calorie Control Council (CCC) – key facts

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