Monsanto, the agrochemical corporation which is a major producer of genetically modified crops, has lost their case against a claim that their weedkiller Roundup caused cancer. A San Francisco jury awarded $289 million to a terminally ill groundsman. They found that Monsanto failed to warn him of the health hazards from exposure and “acted with malice or oppression”. During the lengthy trial, the plaintiff’s attorneys brought forward internal emails from Monsanto executives they said demonstrated how the corporation repeatedly ignored experts’ warnings, sought favourable scientific analyses and helped to “ghost-write” research that encouraged continued usage. This is the first Roundup case with another 4,000 similar expected to follow.
Monsanto was founded on 29 November 1901 when Uranus in Sagittarius was in an innovative, experimental opposition to Pluto – both of which are being undermined by tr Neptune square exactly now and through till 2020. There’s also a materially-ambitious collection of Mars, a Saturn Jupiter conjunction and Venus in Capricorn. Tr Saturn is conjunct the Mars this year for a major setback, once more in the fall; and then moves onto the Saturn Return and tr Saturn conjunct Jupiter in 2019 which looks sobering and belt-tightening financially. This year there’s also a shock/collision Solar Arc Sun square Mars as their first trial started. The early 2020s don’t look too progressive either with tr Neptune again dissolving and panicking several of the Sun midpoints.
Monsanto executives are still denying Roundup is carcinogenic.
Monsanto is owned by Bayer, founded 1 August 1853, who will have to foot the bills. Their Pluto in Taurus square a Leo Sun is being upended exactly at the moment by tr Uranus in hard aspect and that will run on to 2020/21 so shaking the company considerably. Tr Neptune is in a sinking square to their Jupiter and conjunct Neptune (for a Return) until early 2019. And there’s a panicky-failure Solar Arc Mars square Neptune around 2021 – so not in the most illustrious times of their existence.
Roundup is prominently displayed at most garden centers, including those at Home Depot and Lowe’s. It’s probably the most widely used weed killer in the U.S. (and elsewhere?). It’ll be interesting to see how the $$$$ verdict affects its popularity, including usage by aforementioned landscaping foreman. Silent Spring indeed. Since all the Roundup spraying began in my neighborhood some 8 years ago, there has been a marked decline in the bird population. Rarely see cardinals, bluejays and assorted songbirds anymore, whose numbers used to be profuse. Glad to know Bayer’s planets are looking dim, but I have to assume that other products that are equally toxic (or worse) will simply take the place of Roundup.
I have not used Round up in thirty years and am surprised people still are.
As of May or June 2018, Monsanto has been folded into the Bayer empire. I’ve read that use of the name Monsanto has been or will be discontinued: It’s toxic.
As for Julie’s landscaping foreman, bring him a glass and challenge him to drink it! The obliviousness is as if Silent Spring was never published, over 50 years ago.
I’ve had a long-running quarrel re Roundup with the foreman of the landscaping crew that services the subdivision I live in. He sprays that poison all over the place, saturating yards at least once a month. After my many confrontations with him, he knows not to spray my yard. What’s aggravating is the apathy of my neighbors re all this spraying. I seem to be the only one who cares about its impact on our health and the environment. When I’ve talked to the foreman about it, he gets belligerent and says, “I could drink that stuff all day long and it wouldn’t hurt me. It’s as toxic as milk and cookies.”
Unbelievable how naive and oblivious most consumers are about the harmful products corporations foist on them. It appears that Monsanto has come difficult stars to deal with going forward. I certainly hope so.
“Better living thru chemistry.”