Monsanto's PR problem...

[grnidone]

This article doesn't vilify or justify Monsanto.  It talks about how Monsanto got into the PR problem they are in now. 

https://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/monsantos-good-bad-pr-problem/

[ergophobe]

Lots of news about Monsanto in the French press. The editorial staff of Le Monde seems pretty convinced that glyphosate is toxic and is a major culprit in the loss of bees and other insects (recent article said insect populations have dropped 80% since the introduction of Roundup-ready crops)

[rcjordan]

Monsanto's Roundup Faces European Politics and U.S. Lawsuits

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/business/monsanto-roundup-europe.html

Note related articles in right column, too.

[rcjordan]

Germany: Monsanto Faces Blowback Over Cancer Cover-Up

A release of internal emails has revealed that U.S. agrochemical giant Monsanto manipulated studies of the company's herbicide, Roundup. Experts believe the product causes cancer - and the consequences for the company could be dire.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/monsanto-papers-reveal-company-covered-up-cancer-concerns-a-1174233.html

TL;DR - Companies lie.

[rcjordan]

Herbicide 'Roundup' detected in Californians urine at increasing levels

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2017/10/25/Herbicide-Roundup-detected-in-Californians-urine-at-increasing-levels/3501508931071/

[ergophobe]

There was a study in the EU where they tested the urine of EU representatives and almost all had glyphosate in their urine, whether it was banned in their country or not

[rcjordan]

It's in animal feed grain, so I'm guessing meat's an easy way to get your daily dose.

[rcjordan]

EU lawmakers vote to ban glyphosate weed killer by 2022

Although the resolution is not binding, it ups the pressure on the bloc's executive arm, the European Commission, which had previously recommended the herbicide's license be renewed for 10 years.

Shortly after the European Parliament approved the glyphosate ban resolution, the Commission walked back its recommendation

http://www.dw.com/en/eu-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-glyphosate-weed-killer-by-2022/a-41093018

[rcjordan]

On Monday, a federal court hearing in San Francisco will turn a public spotlight on to the science surrounding the safety of one of the world's most widely used pesticides, a weedkilling chemical called glyphosate that has been linked to cancer and is commonly found in our food and water, even in our own bodily fluids. Given the broad health and environmental implications tied to the use of this pesticide, we would be well served to pay attention.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/05/monsanto-pesticides-roundup-court

[ergophobe]

This will be interesting. One issue with all industry-backed science, is they are not forced to release research results they don't like.

But if a lawyer subpoenas the lab notes... that changes everything.

[rcjordan]

^{Debbie is bothered by this headline:}

Bayer sells more assets to help close Monsanto deal

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/27/bayer-sells-more-assets-to-help-close-monsanto-deal.html

[rcjordan]

Landmark lawsuit claims Monsanto hid cancer danger of weedkiller for decades

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/may/22/monsanto-trial-cancer-weedkiller-roundup-dewayne-johnson

[ergophobe]

So let's say that when it all shakes out, the weight of the evidence is that glyphosate is probably not carcinogenic.

And let's say that when it all shakes out, the clear evidence is that Monsanto buried studies that provided evidence glyphosate might be carcinogenic.

What then?

One of the huge problems facing medical science is that companies are really good at only releasing info that makes their newest, latest, most expensive drug/herbicide/pesticide look good and hiding all negative experimental outcomes. So there's a massive gulf between the results of all studies conducted and the results of all studies published.

One solution is that only pre-registered studies can be considered as evidence and that all registered studies must publish their conclusions. Some peer-reviewed publications are moving to that model, but it would be amazing to see it established as a legal precedent. That would shake the foundations of Big Pharma and Big Agri.

I'm not sure that's even a legally possible outcome and, if possible, whether or not it would sustain an appeal. It would be a great outcome though.

[ergophobe]

Monsanto might have bigger problems than PR

They have always portrayed the situation as a binary choice: either accept GMOs and the herbicides they enable, or go organic and see people in poor countries starve.

Soon there will be a third choice: or deploy robots to spray herbicides only on the plants you don't want in your corn field
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-farming-tech-chemicals-insight/robots-fight-weeds-in-challenge-to-agrochemical-giants-idUSKCN1IN0IK

[rcjordan]

More on the company Deere bought

https://siliconangle.com/blog/2017/09/07/john-deere-buys-startup-uses-ai-kill-weeds-leaving-crops-intact/