Search Results
Friday, October 20th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, October 20, 2017) Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that label changes to the herbicide dicamba would be made to try to minimize drift that has left thousands of acres of crops already damaged this season. The label changes include making dicamba ârestricted use,â which allows only certified applicators to apply the chemical. Dicamba drift has been damaging farmers’ crops for at least two years due to the approval of new dicamba-tolerant genetically engineered (GE) crops. Advocates says that the new changes do not ensure that drift will be eliminated. According to EPA, the agency reached an agreement with the makers of dicamba, (Monsanto, BASF and DuPont) to restrict its application. This comes after hundreds of official complaints of crop damage related to dicamba across 17 states this year alone, leading to questions about the new formulation of the chemical used in genetically engineered (GE) crop productioon. New GE crops developed by Monsanto must be paired with specific formulations of dicamba, and thus led to a vast increase in dicamba use over the past couple growing seasons. Dicamba-based herbicide use has climbed dramatically as farmers have adopted, especially, Monsantoâs GE soybean seeds; in the 2017 season, 20 […]
Posted in Agriculture, contamination, Dicamba, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 18th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, October 18, 2017) Effective immediately, the European Parliament has banned Monsanto lobbyists, excluding the chemical company from access to committee meetings and digital resources, as well as no longer permitting Monsanto lobbyists to meet with any Member of the European Parliament (MEP). This limit to its influence is a serious blow to Monsantoâs advocacy campaign to promote the safety of its weedkiller glyphosate, (Roundup). The decision to ban came amid mounting public pressure to deny European Union re-licensing of glyphosate, one of the worldâs most widely used herbicides. (See glyphosate listing in Beyond Pesticidesâ Pesticides Gateway, the active ingredient in Monsantoâs Roundup herbicide.) Glyphosate is classified as âprobably carcinogenic to humansâ by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Monsanto, the worldâs largest GE-seed and seventh-largest pesticide company, is eager to suppress IARC’s ranking. In fact, before being banned, the European Parliament had questioned Monsanto’s funding of counter-studies in order to discredit independent scientists working to limit the publicâs exposure to toxic chemicals. In a related development, independent scientists sent a letter to the scientific journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology, calling for the retraction of a 2016 paper that refuted glyphosateâs cancer risks after it was learned that […]
Posted in Agriculture, Glyphosate, Monsanto, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 11th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, October 11, 2017) Last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyâs (EPA) registration of neonicotinoid pesticides – acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and imidacloprid, and the agencyâs failure to first consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the pesticidesâ impact on threatened or endangered species. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges the failure of the federal government to evaluate the impacts of neonicotinoid pesticides (âneonicsâ) on threatened and endangered species, like the rusty patched bumble bee, the black-capped vireo, and the San Bruno elfin butterfly. The suit cites widespread presence of neonics in the environment which presents serious risks to wildlife across large portions of the country. It contends that they pose significant adverse consequences to threatened and endangered species. According to the lawsuit, because of toxicity and pervasive environmental contamination, NRDC is now challenging EPAâs registrations of pesticide products containing one of three main neonic active ingredientsâacetamiprid, dinotefuran, and imidaclopridâand seeks vacatur of those registrations until EPA complies with the law. âThe EPA ignored endangered bees, butterflies, and birds when it approved the widespread use of neonics,â said Rebecca Riley, a senior […]
Posted in acetamiprid, dinotefuron, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Imidacloprid, Litigation, neonicotinoids, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 26th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, September, 26, 2017) A congressionally mandated study belatedly released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) questions the feasibility of electronic disclosures as a means of providing consumers with information on genetically engineered (GE) food ingredients. The study, which should have been published in July 2017 by law, confirms concerns held by many that âelectronic and digital disclosuresâ (QR codes) will pose technological challenges for consumers, limiting access to food information. The study was required by the 2016 Federal Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standards Act (the âGE Labeling Actâ) to help inform the establishment of federal standards for labeling by July 2018. USDA issued the study just days after the Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a lawsuit challenging the agency’s unlawful withholding of the required study. Twelve days after the lawsuit was submitted on August 24, USDA publicly released the study p. The labeling law allows USDA to consider several options: on-package text, a GE symbol on packages, or âelectronic or digital disclosures,â which would require shoppers to use a smart phone to scan packages to access a website or call a 1-800 number for every single product to find out if it was produced with genetic engineering. The study is crucial in analyzing […]
Posted in Genetic Engineering, Labeling, Litigation | No Comments »
Thursday, September 7th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, September 7, 2017) Last month, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration for its failure to comply with the 2016 federal law on the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food, National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are charged with implementing the new labeling rules, and part of that process is a study on âelectronic and digital disclosuresâ (QR codes) for GE foods, as opposed to on-package text. That study was required to be finished by July 2017, with an opportunity for public commetn, but USDA never met it legal obligation. The federal lawsuit is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against USDA regarding that agencyâs failure to comply with mandatory deadlines established by the 2016 Federal Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standards Act (the âGE Labeling Actâ). The suit contends that the âAmerican public deserves full disclosure, the right to transparency and free choice in the marketplace.â Consumers have advocated for mandatory labeling of GE foods for nearly two decades. Polls show that over 90% of U.S. residents support requiring the labeling of GE foods, as 64 countries already do, including many U.S. trade partners […]
Posted in Labeling, Litigation | No Comments »
Friday, September 1st, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, September 1, 2017)Â Tell your Governor to stop Monsanto from making false and deceptive claims about glyphosate (Roundup) âa pesticide that hurts workers. Because of its wide use by workers in parks, along utility and railroad rights-of-way, and on farms, use of Monsantoâs glyphosate results in more exposure than any other pesticide. Monsanto has developed and continues to grow its market for this product with false claims of the safety of the toxic chemical. Glyphosate is listed as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (World Health Organization) and disrupts a pathway in humans necessary for healthy functioning of the gut microbiome. Meanwhile, Monsanto actively advertises and promotes its Roundup products as targeting an enzyme âfound in plants but not in people or pets.â Act now to urge your Governor to act on false claims by Monsanto. Although EPA considers glyphosate to be âof relatively low oral and dermal acute toxicity,â symptoms workers could experience following exposure to glyphosate formulations include: swollen eyes, face, and joints; facial numbness; burning and/or itching skin; blisters; rapid heart rate; elevated blood pressure; chest pains, congestion; coughing; headache; and nausea. The additional ingredients in Roundup can be more toxic […]
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, August 18th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, August 18, 2017)Â The exuberant consumer interest in Farm-to-Table (aka Farm-to-Fork) dining experiences, which germinated in the 1970s, grew dramatically during the last couple of decades, as consumers became far more interested in eating healthfully and knowing more about the sourcing of their food. The bloom may be coming off the rose just a bit, as people respond to a variety of concerns, including pricing; some perception of âpreciousnessâ or elitism about the movement; the occasional âfood fraudâ â cutting corners and/or âgreenwashingâ â perpetrated by those looking to cash in on the trend without delivering the real goods; and ethical concerns rooted in a growing recognition of health, safety, and inequality problems in the U.S. In the early 2000s, those clued in to the food and agriculture scene witnessed an exciting new trend: Farm to Table (FTT) restaurants, and a concomitant focus on local sourcing, and organic and sustainably raised food. The idea promised foods grown and produced nearby, greater transparency about that sourcing, relationships with a regionâs producers, more organics, and generally, more-healthful fare. As the sector has grown, those working in it have begun to talk about the difficulties inherent in such an enterprise. Andrea Reusing, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 26th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2017) Campbell Soup Co. announced that it will leave the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) by the end of the year over concerns that the trade association no longer represents its views concerning labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food. Campbellâs President and CEO Denise Morrison said that while the company does not question the safety of GE food, it recognizes that most consumers want to see GE ingredients on the label. Meanwhile, Campbellâs has supported the GMA digital disclosure and lists ingredients that âmay be derived from crops grown from genetically engineered seedsâ on its website. The move by Campbell Soup comes as USDA is pondering possible disclosure options under the “compromise” bill on labeling genetically engineered food passed last year by the U.S. Congress. The company says, âWhile this legislation offers a range of disclosure options for manufacturers, we will introduce an on-pack statement as we know thatâs what the overwhelming majority of Americans support. Weâre working on language that provides specific ingredient information and supports the science that GMOs are safe.â A number of other companies have also announced their intention to label GE ingredients, while similarly maintaining their safety. USDAâs Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has extended to August […]
Posted in Genetic Engineering, Labeling, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Friday, July 14th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, July 14, 2017) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking input into draft regulations that will determine whether genetically engineered (GE) ingredients [or genetically modified organisms (GMO)] are identified on products labels, or hidden behind high tech codes. Let USDA know by Monday, July 17 what you think and how important clear and meaningful labeling is. A âcompromiseâ bill on labeling genetically engineered food was passed last year by the U.S. Congress, leaving it to USDA to decide which foods would be labeled, and how they would be labeled. In preparation for drafting regulations, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has posed 30 questions regarding the implementation of the law. AMS is accepting input until Monday, July 17. Commenting provides a chance to help shape USDAâs proposal. The law includes labeling options other than on-package labeling, such as QR codes and websites, which would only serve to hide the information this law was passed to provide. It also allows USDA to decide which GE ingredients must be disclosed. Beyond Pesticides is telling USDA the following: The definition of âbioengineeringâ must include all forms of genetic engineering including newer forms like CRISPR and RNA interference (RNAi). Definitions should be compatible […]
Posted in Agriculture, Genetic Engineering, Labeling, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Thursday, June 22nd, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 22, 2017)Â On Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed in a Wisconsin federal court against Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup brand herbicides, and Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, a marketer of Roundup brand products. The complaint, filed by six consumers from states around the country, focuses on the promotion, marketing, and sale of Roundup brand products, rather than physical injury from the pesticide products. The lawsuit alleges that the Monsanto and Scotts label, advertise, and promote their Roundup products with the âfalse statement that Roundupâs active ingredient, glyphosate, targets an enzyme that is not found âin people or pets.ââ Plaintiffs assert that this is a false and deceptive claim, as this enzyme is found in the gut bacteria of people and pets and glyphosate can disrupt the health and functioning of their immune system. This suit follows on the heels of and mirrors the lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides and Organic Consumers Association in April 2017 against Monsanto for misleading the public by labeling the weedkiller Roundup as âtarget[ing] an enzyme found in plants but not in people or pets.â Monsanto aggressively markets Roundup as safe for humans and animals, despite newer studies indicating that glyphosate may be carcinogenic and affect […]
Posted in Glyphosate, Label Claims, Litigation, Monsanto, Scotts MiracleGro | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 6th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 6, 2017) Last week, the U .S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concluded that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to show that its conditional registration of the antimicrobial, nano-silver pesticide product âNSPW-L30SSâ (previously âNanosilvaâ) is in the public interest and revoked its registration. The case, brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Center for Food Safety (CFS), challenged the approval of the novel nanotechnology which was marketed for use in an unknown number of textiles and plastics. The decision underscores the need for EPA to ensure pesticide products, including nanomaterials, meet the standards of federal pesticide law. According to the Center for Food Safety, the Courtâs decision is the first of its kind to address EPAâs responsibilities in issuing conditional registrations of new pesticide products like NSPW-L30SS. In its ruling, the Court ruled that EPA had failed to show that âconditional approvalâ of NSPW-L30SS as a new pesticide supported a public interest finding by the EPA with substantial evidence. EPA had conditionally registered the controversial pesticide back in 2015. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA can only conditionally register new active ingredients, such nanosilver particles, if EPA […]
Posted in Antibacterial, contamination, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Litigation, Nanotechnology, Pesticide Regulation | No Comments »
Monday, June 5th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 5, 2017) Following the recent proposed 10-year extension for the approval of glyphosate use in the European Union (EU), internationally recognized toxicologist Dr. Christopher Portier, Ph.D. has delivered a letter to the European Commission (the Commission), calling the scientific findings of these agencies into question. Dr. Portier is former associate director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and director of NIEHS’ Office of Risk Assessment Research. According to the letter, both the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (EChA) âfailed to identify all statistically significant cancer findings in the chronic rodent carcinogenicity studies with glyphosate.â Previously, the Commission, which is in charge of the approval of glyphosate, was forced to issue a limited license extension for the chemical because member states could not reach a consensus. The Commission was holding out for further information on carcinogenicity, which was assessed by the ECHA, and whose report was issued in March 2017. According to ECHAâs most recent assessment, glyphosate is not carcinogenic. Dr. Portier asks that the evaluations by EFSA and EChA be ârepeated for all toxicological endpoints and the data underlying these evaluations be publicly released.â Based on these failures in data analysis, […]
Posted in Cancer, Glyphosate, International, Monsanto | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 23, 2017) Health ministers from the G20 nations, the largest advanced and emerging economies, identified Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as a âcurrent and increasing threat and challenge to global healthâ and committed the member countries to several actions aimed at reducing the occurrence of AMR. The outcome of the first meeting of G20 health ministers, the Berlin Declaration of the G20 Health Ministers, addresses a wide range of global health issues, including AMR. The G20 declaration contains little more than a mention of antimicrobials in agriculture, but both it and the G20 Agriculture Ministersâ Declaration support WHOâs Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. WHOâs action plan includes measures of effectiveness of actions, including member state adoption of âpolicies on use of antimicrobial agents in terrestrial and aquatic animals and agriculture, including: implementation of Codex Alimentarius and OIE [Organization for Animal Health] international standards and guidelines as well as WHO/OIE guidance on the use of critically important antibiotics; phasing out of use of antibiotics for animal growth promotion and crop protection in the absence of risk analysis; and reduction in nontherapeutic use of antimicrobial medicines in animal health.â The G20 meeting last weekend was not the first time world […]
Posted in Antibacterial, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, May 19th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 19, 2017) In spite of a growing body of evidence implicating glyphosate in a wide range of human illnesses and environmental impacts, the European Union (EU) plans to propose a 10-year extension for the approval of glyphosate use. Previously, the European Commission (the Commission), which is in charge of the approval, was forced to issue a limited license extension for the chemical because member states could not reach a consensus. The Commission was holding out for further information on carcinogenicity, which was assessed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and whose report was issued in March 2017. According to ECHAâs assessment, glyphosate is not carcinogenic. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsantoâs Roundup brand of weed-killers, and research by the World Health Organizationâs International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found that it is a probable human carcinogen. Since IARCâs findings were released, Monsanto has made several efforts to discredit the research of this well respected, international body, including attempting to influence government agencies. According to a Bloomberg BNA article, âThe commission will discuss with EU member nations the prospect of a 10-year reauthorization, said Anca Paduraru, spokeswoman for the commission.â Once the Commission proposes the […]
Posted in Alzheimers's, Cancer, Chronic Kidney Disease, Glyphosate, Liver failure, Monsanto, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Obesity, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
Thursday, May 18th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 18, 2017) A pesticide reduction plan proposed by investors in the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) lacks a positive vision that could accomplish the investorsâ goals. The shareholder proposal at DPS, which makes Mott’s, 7UP, Snapple, and Canada Dry, was filed by the Green Century Equity Fund, a company that offers environmentally and socially responsible mutual funds, seeks to pressure DPS to reduce toxic pesticide use in its supply chain. According to their press release, the shareholder proposal suggests that DPS âuse quantitative metrics to track the amount of pesticides avoided, publish goals to reduce pesticide use or toxicity, and/or provide incentives to growers to minimize the use of pesticides.â However, the shareholder group could better achieve its goals by asking that DPS use certified organic ingredients. Beyond Pesticides has long sought a broad-scale marketplace transition that does not simply reduce or minimize pesticide use, but prohibits the application of toxic synthetic pesticides by law and promotes the widespread transition of conventional farmland to organic production, which is protective of health and the environment. Certified organic production, with its requirement of a detailed organic system plan and methods to foster and improve soil health, achieves the elimination […]
Posted in Agriculture, Corporations, Label Claims, Litigation | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 17th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 17, 2017 Fraud among producers portraying products of chemical intensive agriculture as organic âincluding those recently identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP)â is costly to organic producers and consumers. Imported grains âcorn and soybeans that are largely fed to livestock whose products are sold as âorganicââ are the focus of claims that USDA is not doing enough to protect the integrity of the organic label. The fraudulent documents that are the subject of the USDA alert are typically produced with the intent to circumvent U.S. organic regulations and are often forged along the supply chain with the goal of increasing the value of agricultural commodities imported to the United States. The arrival of soy and corn crops labeled as organic but later testing positive for residues of pesticides prohibited in organic production, has been well documented in recent years. USDA encourages certifying agents and organic operators to remain vigilant when purchasing organic products from suppliers, and warns of fines for up to $11,000 for anyone found in violation of selling products fraudulently labeled as organic. Additionally, the agency encourages anyone suspecting a violation has been committed to […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 11, 2017) On Monday, a federal judge in California ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when it issued 59 neonicotinoid insecticide registrations between 2007 and 2012 for pesticide products containing clothianidin and thiamethoxam. The original lawsuit against EPA, Ellis v. Housenger, was filed in March 2013, by beekeeper Steve Ellis and a coalition of other beekeepers and environmental groups, including Beyond Pesticides. The 2013 lawsuit focused on the EPAâs failure to protect pollinators from dangerous pesticides and challenged EPAâs oversight of the bee-killing pesticides, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, as well as the agencyâs practice of âconditional registrationâ and labeling deficiencies. According to George Kimbrell, Center for Food Safetyâs legal director and the lead plaintiffsâ counsel, âThis is a vital victory. Science shows these toxic pesticides harm bees, endangered species and the broader environment. More than fifty years ago, Rachel Carson warned us to avoid such toxic chemicals, and the courtâs ruling may bring us one step closer to preventing another Silent Spring.â The judge presiding over the case rejected claims by pesticide producers and their supporters that the plaintiffs failed to establish a causal link between the pesticides and the […]
Posted in Bayer, Clothianidin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Litigation, neonicotinoids, Pesticide Regulation, Thiamethoxam, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, May 8th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2017) – A national environmental health organization last Friday sued Mottâs, under consumer protection law, for false and misleading ânaturalâ labeling of applesauce products containing a toxic pesticide. The suit argues that the finding of residues in the companyâs applesauce of the neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid, which is particularly toxic to pollinators, disqualifies the products from being labeled ânaturalâ or as containing âall natural ingredients.â The case is filed under the District of Columbiaâs Consumer Protection Procedures Act against Mottâs parent company, the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The plaintiffs maintain that by using ânaturalâ or âall natural ingredientsâ labeling, Mottâs leads consumers to believe that its applesauce products do not contain synthetic substances. Plaintiffs claim that defendants know or should have known that many consumers buy foods labeled as ânaturalâ in an attempt to âlimit the amount of pesticides they and their families ingestâ or eliminate the use of synthetic ingredients that adversely affect pollinators. âPeople are looking for food products that are healthy for their family, children, and the environment, and deceptive ânaturalâ labeling of products grown with pesticides undermines their best intentions,â said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. There are concerns in the scientific […]
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, April 21st, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 21, 2017) We are one week away from our 35th National Pesticide Forum, Healthy Hives, Healthy Lives, Healthy Land: Ecological and Organic Strategies for Regeneration! Donât miss out on an opportunity to listen to and interact with a range of grassroots advocates, scientists, and policy makers. The 35th National Pesticide Forum, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, runs from the afternoon of April 28 through the evening of April 29. Registration, which is $45 for the general rate, and $20 for students, includes access to all sessions as well as organic food and beverages. In addition to spending time with scientists and experts on the cutting edge of research, and the opportunity to network, we will serve light hors d’oeuvres and organic beer and wine Friday night, and organic breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks on Saturday. Walk-in registrations will be welcome, but to ensure that we have enough food and drink, we encourage you to REGISTER TODAY! Learn from Leading Experts: The conference speakers are leading authorities in their fields, which offers participants a unique opportunity to discuss cutting-edge issues focused on protecting human health and the environment. At the Forum, youâll have […]
Posted in Announcements, Events, Minnesota, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, April 20th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 20, 2017) On Tuesday, the judges presiding over the International Monsanto Tribunal presented their legal opinion, delivering conclusions on the multinational corporationâs impact on issues ranging from human rights, food access, environmental health, to scientific research. In addition to Monsantoâs impact on human rights, the judges concluded that if ecocide were recognized as an international criminal law, the corporation would possibly be found guilty. According to the Organic Consumers Associationâs press release, one of the organizing groups behind the creation of the Tribunal, âIt is likely that the [legal] conclusions will lead to more liability cases against Monsanto and similar companies. This will shine a light on the true cost of production and will affect Monsanto (Bayer) shareholder value in the long run.â The international judges determined that, based on a legal analysis of the questions asked, Monsanto has engaged in practices that have negatively affected the right to a healthy environment, to food, and to health. In addition to these infringement of rights, Monsanto has had a negative effect on the right to freedom indispensable for scientific research with âconduct such as intimidation, discrediting independent scientific research, [and] suborning false research reports.â In the third part of its […]
Posted in Corporations, Glyphosate, Litigation, Monsanto | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 11th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 11, 2017) New data presented last week at a childrenâs health conference show that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular Roundup weed killer, is detected in pregnant women and could lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including shorter gestation times and lower birth weights. The researchers here are calling for more biomonitoring of the presence of glyphosate in the public, in spite of industry and government efforts to undermine the science surrounding the human health impacts of the herbicide. Researchers tested and tracked 69 expectant mothers and found that the presence of glyphosate levels in their bodily fluids correlated with unfavorable birth outcomes. The research is still in preliminary stages and is a project of the Childrenâs Environmental Health Network (CEHN), which is studying the reproductive and childrenâs health impacts of rising herbicide use in the Midwest. The preliminary results were presented at CEHNâs conference last Thursday in Washington DC. Learn more about the project here. This is a huge issue,â said Paul Winchester, M.D., member of the research team involved with this study, medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at the Franciscan St. Francis Health system and professor of clinical pediatrics at Riley Hospital for […]
Posted in Announcements, Birth defects, Chemicals, Corporations, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Monsanto, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
Monday, April 10th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 10, 2017) Two nonprofit organizations on Friday filed a lawsuit against Monsanto for misleading the public by labeling its popular weedkiller Roundup as âtarget[ing] an enzyme found in plants but not in people or pets.â This lawsuit charges that this statement is false, deceptive, and misleading, because the enzyme targeted by glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is, in fact, found in people and pets. [For additional information on glyphosate, visit Beyond Pesticides’ Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management]. Beyond Pesticides and Organic Consumers Association (OCA), through their attorneys, Richman Law Group, filed jointly on behalf of the general public in Washington D.C. under the District of Columbiaâs Consumer Protection Procedures Act. âThe unequivocal nature of Monsantoâs label claim on Roundup belies the complexity of human biology and the impact this highly toxic chemical has on the functioning of the human gut bacteria, essential our health,â said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. âWith this claim, Monsanto is falsely telling the public that its product cannot hurt them,â he said. âCorporations must be held to a high standard when it comes to the information they include on product labels, especially when it comes to the […]
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, March 28, 2017) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has abandoned its plans to test the U.S. food supply for the presence of glyphosate residues, according to a story from veteran reporter Carrey Gillam in The Huffington Post. The decision comes amid heated controversy over the carcinogenicity of glyphosate, which was cleared by a California judge for listing under Californiaâs Prop 65 earlier this year. The federal governmentâs pesticide monitoring program, which is run jointly by USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was criticized by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2014 for its failure to test for the widely used herbicide. In early 2016, Beyond Pesticides met with EPA regulators to discuss testing for glyphosate residues in the U.S. food supply. At the time, officials said that FDA was testing honey, and USDA would be conducting more extensive food testing beginning in 2017. USDA had tested soybeans for glyphosate residue in 2011, finding that 90% of samples contained residues between .26 ppm and 18.5 ppm, barely under the allowed food tolerance level of 20ppm. A 2014 Boston University study had indicated that both organic and conventional honey contained glyphosate concentrations despite […]
Posted in Agriculture, Announcements, Cancer, Chemicals, contamination, Corporations, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Agencies, Glyphosate, Monsanto, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues | No Comments »