An Oregon appeals court has overturned a trial victory by Monsanto owner Bayer AG in a decision that adds to an ongoing debate over the company’s efforts to create a nationwide legal and legislative shield from lawsuits alleging Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. The court found that the trial judge in the case improperly barred key evidence about the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from being presented to the jury, which could have led the jury to find in favor of the plaintiff. And, notably, the court rejected arguments by the company that claims about the dangers of its products should be barred because those products carry the EPA’s stamp of approval. Other courts have similarly rejected so-called “preemption” arguments by Bayer, which bought Monsanto in 2018. But after failing to get court backing, Bayer has been pushing state and federal lawmakers to give it and other pesticide makers the protection the courts have rejected. A proposed measure is being considered by lawmakers for inclusion in the US Farm Bill. Monsanto unsuccessfully argued to the appeals court that the case never should have even gone to a jury because the claims should have been preempted. The New Lede

 

 

Three professors write, "Banning glyphosate is an essential step in protecting the health of humans and our ecosystems." They add that if Mexico goes ahead with its planned ban on the chemical (currently paused), this will help show how agroecology can lead the way forward. The professors state that in Mexico’s Veracruz State, they are working with small-scale citrus farmers to help them transition away from glyphosate and other agrochemicals by supporting the adoption of agroecological farming methods. The Conversation

 

 

A study by scientists at the State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE) in Brazil links exposure to pesticides to an increased incidence of cancer and risk of metastasis in female farmers. Carolina Panis, coordinator of the study, said: “Women farmers are disproportionately exposed to pesticides, and therefore may have a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer... Urine samples from these women showed contamination by glyphosate, atrazine and/or 2,4-D, after unprotected contact with pesticides. We also observed that there is a 58 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer among women farmers compared to women in urban areas. We also documented a twofold higher risk of developing metastases in women occupationally exposed to pesticides compared to women in urban areas. Our results indicate that women continuously exposed to pesticides have an increased risk of developing breast cancer with a more aggressive profile, highlighting the need for public policies aimed at the prevention and surveillance of these populations." [GMW: Paraná is a major producer of GM soy; GM soy has been genetically engineered to tolerate glyphosate and 2,4-D.] Agrotoxico Mata

 

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