Monsanto Archives

UPDATED – Court overturns EPA approval of Bayer dicamba herbicide; says regulator “understated the risks”

Carey Gillam | June 3, 2020

(UPDATES with statement from BASF) In a stunning rebuke of the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal court on Wednesday overturned the agency’s approval of popular dicamba-based herbicides made by chemical giants Bayer, BASF and Corteva Agrisciences. The ruling effectively makes it illegal for farmers to continue to use the product. The ruling by the U.S. … UPDATED – Court overturns EPA approval of Bayer dicamba herbicide; says regulator “understated the risks”

Appeals court denies Monsanto bid for Roundup case rehearing

Carey Gillam | August 18, 2020

A California appeals court on Tuesday rejected Monsanto’s effort to trim $4 million from the amount of money it owes a California groundskeeper who is struggling to survive cancer that a jury found was caused by the man’s exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides. The Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District of California also … Appeals court denies Monsanto bid for Roundup case rehearing

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

Carey Gillam | November 23, 2020

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

Carey Gillam | November 13, 2020

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

Roundup cancer attorney pleads guilty to extortion attempt

Carey Gillam | June 22, 2020

A Virginia lawyer who helped represent the first Roundup cancer plaintiff to take Monsanto to trial pleaded guilty on Friday to trying to extort $200 million from a chemical compound supplier to Monsanto. Timothy Litzenburg, 38, admitted to a scheme in which he and another lawyer threatened to inflict substantial “financial and reputational harm” on … Roundup cancer attorney pleads guilty to extortion attempt

Appeal in first Monsanto Roundup cancer trial to be heard in June

Carey Gillam | April 9, 2020

A California appeals court has set a June hearing for cross appeals resulting from the first-ever trial over allegations that Monsanto’s herbicides cause cancer. The Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District of California said Thursday that it was setting a hearing for June 2 in the case of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson v. Monsanto. … Appeal in first Monsanto Roundup cancer trial to be heard in June

Bayer backs away from plan to contain future Roundup cancer claims

Carey Gillam | July 8, 2020

Monsanto owner Bayer AG is backing away from a plan to contain future Roundup cancer claims after a federal judge made it clear he would not approve the scheme, which would delay new trials and limit jury decision-making. The plan concocted by Bayer and a small group of lawyers was filed last month in U.S. … Bayer backs away from plan to contain future Roundup cancer claims

Appeals court hears arguments over Monsanto’s first Roundup trial loss

Carey Gillam | June 2, 2020

A California jury decision blaming a Monsanto herbicide for a school groundskeeper’s cancer was deeply flawed and incompatible with the law, a Monsanto attorney told a panel of appellate judges on Tuesday. The company’s glyphosate-based herbicides – popularly known as Roundup – have the full backing of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and “regulators around … Appeals court hears arguments over Monsanto’s first Roundup trial loss

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

Carey Gillam | May 14, 2020

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

Carey Gillam | May 1, 2020

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

Bayer said to be reneging on Roundup settlement deals as virus closes courthouses

Carey Gillam | April 3, 2020

Bayer AG is reneging on negotiated settlements with several U.S. law firms representing thousands of plaintiffs who claim exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, sources involved in the litigation said on Friday. The reversal comes as U.S. courts are closed to the public because of the spreading coronavirus, eliminating the … Bayer said to be reneging on Roundup settlement deals as virus closes courthouses

As settlement talks drag on, another Monsanto Roundup trial nears

Carey Gillam | February 20, 2020

Continuing to lack a resolution in the massive nationwide Roundup cancer litigation, a leading U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm is pressing ahead with preparations for a California trial involving a critically ill cancer patient and his wife who are suing the former Monsanto company claiming the man’s disease is due to years of his use of … As settlement talks drag on, another Monsanto Roundup trial nears

St. Louis Roundup cancer trial “will not resume;” settlement news expected

Carey Gillam | February 3, 2020

A Roundup cancer trial in St. Louis, Missouri, will not open on Wednesday as expected, a court spokesman said Monday, fueling fresh speculation that a global settlement of tens of thousands of lawsuits brought by cancer victims against the former Monsanto Co. may be near. St. Louis City Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Hogan issued the … St. Louis Roundup cancer trial “will not resume;” settlement news expected

Bayer settlement of Roundup cancer claims still up in air

Carey Gillam | January 28, 2020

Jurors selected to hear a St. Louis case pitting cancer victims against Monsanto have been told the trial that was postponed indefinitely last week could resume as early as next Monday, a court spokesman said, an indication that efforts by Monsanto owner Bayer AG to end nationwide litigation over the safety of Roundup herbicides is … Bayer settlement of Roundup cancer claims still up in air

Dust-up over media ahead of Roundup cancer trial opening

Carey Gillam | January 23, 2020

Lawyers representing the opposing sides of the upcoming Monsanto Roundup cancer trial due to open Friday in St. Louis were huddled away from the courthouse on Thursday amid speculation that settlement talks between the plaintiffs attorneys and Monsanto owner Bayer AG were at a critical juncture. In the absence of the attorneys, confusion over media … Dust-up over media ahead of Roundup cancer trial opening

Stakes are high with two Roundup cancer trials starting amid settlement talks

Carey Gillam | January 22, 2020

It’s been nearly five years since international cancer scientists classified a popular weed-killing chemical as probably carcinogenic, news that triggered an explosion of lawsuits brought by cancer patients who blame the former chemical maker Monsanto Co. for their suffering. Tens of thousands of U.S. plaintiffs – some lawyers involved in the litigation say over 100,000 … Stakes are high with two Roundup cancer trials starting amid settlement talks

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

Carey Gillam | January 16, 2020

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

Anticipation Builds For Settlement of Roundup Cancer Claims

Carey Gillam | January 14, 2020

Anticipation is building around the belief that there could soon be an announcement of at least a partial settlement of U.S. lawsuits pitting thousands of U.S. cancer patients against Monsanto Co. over allegations the company hid the health risks of its Roundup herbicides. Investors in Bayer AG, the German company that bought Monsanto in 2018, … Anticipation Builds For Settlement of Roundup Cancer Claims

St. Louis Monsanto Roundup Trial Postponed, Bayer stock climbs

Carey Gillam | January 8, 2020

A highly anticipated Roundup cancer trial set to start later this month in the St. Louis area has been pulled from the docket, a court official said on Wednesday. The trial, which was to pit a woman named Sharlean Gordon against Roundup maker Monsanto Co., was to start Jan. 27 in St. Louis County and … St. Louis Monsanto Roundup Trial Postponed, Bayer stock climbs

More Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trials Expected to be Postponed

Carey Gillam | January 7, 2020

(UPDATE Jan. 8, 2020- On Wednesday, St. Louis County Court spokeswoman Christine Bertelson confirmed that one trial set to start Jan. 27 has been officially postponed with no new trial date yet set. That trial was to pit a woman named Sharlean Gordon against Monsanto. ) Discussions are underway to postpone one or more highly … More Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trials Expected to be Postponed

Monsanto Makes New Bid to Block St. Louis Trial

Carey Gillam | September 23, 2019

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

UPDATED- St. Louis Trial over Monsanto Roundup Cancer Claims in Limbo

Carey Gillam | September 19, 2019

(UPDATE) – On Sept. 12, the Missouri Supreme Court closed the case, agreeing with plaintiffs’ attorneys that Monsanto’s request for the high court to take up the venue issue was moot. St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Michael Mullen then transferred all plaintiffs except Winston to St. Louis County in a Sept. 13 order.) An October … UPDATED- St. Louis Trial over Monsanto Roundup Cancer Claims in Limbo

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

Stacy Malkan | September 9, 2019

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

New Analysis Raises Questions About EPA’s Glyphosate Classification

Stacy Malkan | January 14, 2019

Researcher says the EPA has disregarded substantial evidence that the popular herbicide is linked to cancer This article was originally published in Environmental Health News. By Carey Gillam A little more than a month ahead of a first-ever federal trial over the issue of whether or not Monsanto’s popular weed killers can cause cancer, a … New Analysis Raises Questions About EPA’s Glyphosate Classification

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

Carey Gillam | September 4, 2019

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

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

Carey Gillam | August 23, 2019

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

A Matter of Fact – Professor Refuses to Correct Errors in New Scientific Paper Finding Problems with Glyphosate

Carey Gillam | June 5, 2019

(UPDATED June 5 with comment from Scientific Reports) The authors of a newly published paper examining the impacts of exposure to the world’s most widely used herbicide declared some shocking news. The team from Washington State University found that descendants of rats exposed to the chemical glyphosate developed prostate, kidney and ovarian diseases, obesity and … A Matter of Fact – Professor Refuses to Correct Errors in New Scientific Paper Finding Problems with Glyphosate

St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Reset for January, Talk of Bayer Settlement

Carey Gillam | August 7, 2019

The much-anticipated Roundup cancer trial set to get underway in two weeks in Monsanto’s former hometown of St. Louis is being rescheduled, according to the a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County Court where the trial was set to begin Aug 19. Court spokeswoman Christine Bertelson said Judge Brian May, who is overseeing the … St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Reset for January, Talk of Bayer Settlement

Q&A with Carey Gillam on Whitewash

Stacy Malkan | October 10, 2017

Carey Gillam’s book is available from Island Press: Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science. Whitewash received the 2018 Rachel Carson Environmental Book Award from the Society of Environmental Journalists and a 2018 Gold Medal Award from the Independent Publishers. Based on 20 years of research and scores of … Q&A with Carey Gillam on Whitewash

Monsanto fails bid to banish experts from St. Louis Roundup cancer trial

Carey Gillam | July 29, 2019

Monsanto is not finding an early hometown advantage as it prepares for the next Roundup cancer trial after the St. Louis judge who will oversee the trial denied Monsanto’s motion for summary judgment and denied the company’s request to ban experts scheduled to testify for the plaintiff. Before selling to Germany-based Bayer AG last year, … Monsanto fails bid to banish experts from St. Louis Roundup cancer trial

Sick Children Among Cancer Victims Suing Monsanto Over Roundup

Carey Gillam | July 16, 2019

A 12-year-old boy suffering from cancer is among the newest plaintiffs taking on Monsanto and its German owner Bayer AG in growing litigation over the safety of Roundup herbicides and Monsanto’s handling of scientific concerns about the products. Lawyers for Jake Bellah were in court Monday in Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport, California arguing … Sick Children Among Cancer Victims Suing Monsanto Over Roundup

Judge Cuts Amount Monsanto Owner Bayer Owes Cancer Victim

Carey Gillam | July 15, 2019

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

Monsanto, Bayer Struggle to Keep Up with Growing Roundup Cancer Litigation

Carey Gillam | June 13, 2019

Turmoil both in and outside courtrooms appears to be growing for Monsanto, a unit of German owner Bayer AG, as the company works to meet overlapping deadlines for appeal actions in the three Roundup cancer trials Monsanto has lost so far at the same time that the company must prepare for new trials at the … Monsanto, Bayer Struggle to Keep Up with Growing Roundup Cancer Litigation

Reuters’ Kate Kelland promoted false narrative about IARC and Aaron Blair

Stacy Malkan | July 24, 2017

UPDATE January 2019: Documents filed in court show that Monsanto provided Kate Kelland with the documents for her June 2017 story about Aaron Blair and gave her a slide deck of talking points the company wanted covered. For more details, see Carey Gillam’s Roundup Trial Tracker post. The following analysis was prepared by Carey Gillam … Reuters’ Kate Kelland promoted false narrative about IARC and Aaron Blair

In Their Hands – Jurors in 3rd Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trial Weigh Evidence

Carey Gillam | May 13, 2019

Jury deliberations were set to resume Monday morning in Oakland, California in the case of an elderly married couple who allege that many years of use of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide caused them each to develop debilitating non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lawyers for plaintiffs Alva and Alberta Pilliod and legal counsel for Monsanto and its German owner Bayer … In Their Hands – Jurors in 3rd Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trial Weigh Evidence

“Go Get ‘Em” – Jury Deliberations Starting in Roundup Cancer Trial

Carey Gillam | May 9, 2019

After dramatic day-long closing arguments in which the plaintiffs’ attorney suggested $1 billion in punitive damages would be appropriate, jury deliberations were getting underway on Thursday in the trial pitting a married couple with cancer against Monsanto. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, each diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, were in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, California, … “Go Get ‘Em” – Jury Deliberations Starting in Roundup Cancer Trial

New Monsanto documents expose cozy connection to Reuters reporter

Carey Gillam | April 25, 2019

We knew from previously released documents that Reuters reporter Kate Kelland was a key connection for Monsanto in its endeavor to undermine and discredit the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) scientists who classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in 2015. Now we have additional evidence of the coziness of the … New Monsanto documents expose cozy connection to Reuters reporter

Bayer Makes Bid for “Trust” Amid Third Monsanto Cancer Trial

Carey Gillam | April 8, 2019

Bayer AG, which bought Monsanto last summer, said Monday that it was making scientific studies available for public scrutiny in an effort to counter growing concerns about the safety of Monsanto’s flagship glyphosate-based herbicide products. “Transparency is a catalyst for trust, so more transparency is a good thing for consumers, policymakers and businesses, Liam Condon, … Bayer Makes Bid for “Trust” Amid Third Monsanto Cancer Trial

Who Is Paying for Monsanto’s Crimes? We Are

Susan Lang | March 30, 2019

This article was originally published in The Guardian. By Carey Gillam The chickens are coming home to roost, as they say in farm country. For the second time in less than eight months a US jury has found that decades of scientific evidence demonstrates a clear cancer connection to Monsanto’s line of top-selling Roundup herbicides, … Who Is Paying for Monsanto’s Crimes? We Are

A Day of “Reckoning” for Monsanto

Susan Lang | August 16, 2018

Jury finds that the popular Roundup weed killer causes cancer This article was originally published in Sierra. By Carey Gillam It was a blistering closing argument: In concluding the world’s first-ever court case against Monsanto Company over claims its Roundup herbicide causes cancer, attorney Brent Wisner asked jurors to deliver a message so powerful that … A Day of “Reckoning” for Monsanto

Weedkiller ‘Raises Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma by 41%’

Susan Lang | February 14, 2019

Study says evidence ‘supports link’ between exposure to glyphosate and increased risk This article was originally published in the Guardian . By Carey Gillam A broad new scientific analysis of the cancer-causing potential of glyphosate herbicides, the most widely used weedkilling products in the world, has found that people with high exposures to the popular … Weedkiller ‘Raises Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma by 41%’

Weedkiller Products More Toxic Than Active Ingredient, Tests Show

Stacy Malkan | May 8, 2018

After more than 40 years of widespread use, new scientific tests show formulated weedkillers have higher rates of toxicity to human cells This article was originally published in The Guardian. By Carey Gillam US government researchers have uncovered evidence that some popular weedkilling products, like Monsanto’s widely-used Roundup, are potentially more toxic to human cells than their active ingredient is by … Weedkiller Products More Toxic Than Active Ingredient, Tests Show

One Man’s Suffering Exposed Monsanto’s Secrets to the World

Stacy Malkan | August 11, 2018

Company’s own records revealed damning truth of glyphosate-based herbicides’ link to cancer This article was originally published in The Guardian. By Carey Gillam It was a verdict heard around the world. In a stunning blow to one of the world’s largest seed and chemical companies, jurors in San Francisco have told Monsanto it must pay $289m in damages to a man … One Man’s Suffering Exposed Monsanto’s Secrets to the World

I Won a Historic Lawsuit But May Not Live to Get the Money

Stacy Malkan | November 26, 2018

This article was originally published in Time Magazine. By Carey Gillam Dewayne Anthony Lee Johnson has always just gone by Lee. He lived a modest life for 42 years, and was devastated when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2014. Now 46, as he struggles with his advancing illness, Johnson has found sudden celebrity … I Won a Historic Lawsuit But May Not Live to Get the Money

Why investigative journalist Carey Gillam won’t stop writing about Roundup

Stacy Malkan | July 30, 2018

How National Geographic Got it Wrong on GMO Science

Stacy Malkan | February 23, 2015

Judging a book, or in this case a magazine article, by it’s cover, I was prepared to dislike Joel Achenbach’s “War on Science” story in National Geographic. Turns out it’s an insightful, beautifully written piece about the psychology that influences scientific belief. Too bad Achenbach got it wrong on the science of genetic engineering, and … How National Geographic Got it Wrong on GMO Science

Fearful Food Industry Jeopardizing Public’s Right to Information

Carey Gillam | January 5, 2016

I just don’t get it. Over the more than 20 years I have worked as a business journalist, I’ve always been motivated by a simple premise: Knowledge is power, and that power belongs with the public. The spread of information that people can use to make decisions – what to buy, what to eat, where … Fearful Food Industry Jeopardizing Public’s Right to Information

Conflict of Interest Concerns Cloud Glyphosate Review

Carey Gillam | May 12, 2016

By Carey Gillam It’s been a little more than a year since the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research experts upended the agrichemical industry’s favorite child. The group, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared the globe’s most widely used herbicide – glyphosate – to be a probable human carcinogen. Since then, Monsanto … Conflict of Interest Concerns Cloud Glyphosate Review

Upcoming EPA Meetings on Safety of Monsanto Weed Killer Drawing Scrutiny

Carey Gillam | September 29, 2016

By Carey Gillam Bayer better be paying attention to this. The German company’s intended $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co. comes amid growing concern over the future of the company’s top-selling weed killer, a chemical called glyphosate that Monsanto introduced to the world 40 years ago as the active ingredient in its Roundup herbicide. Monsanto … Upcoming EPA Meetings on Safety of Monsanto Weed Killer Drawing Scrutiny

New Research: GMO Insect Resistance Failing; Corn Crop in Jeopardy

Stacy Malkan | January 9, 2017

By Carey Gillam New research adds to evidence that the effectiveness of popular genetically engineered traits used to protect corn and cotton from insects is failing, putting U.S. corn production potential in jeopardy, and spurring a need for increased insecticide use. The study, authored by a trio of independent researchers, documents resistance in a major … New Research: GMO Insect Resistance Failing; Corn Crop in Jeopardy

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