Maui Is One of the Beautiful Places in America – Agrochemical Giant Monsanto Just Pled Guilty to Criminal Charges of Illegally Spraying Crops with a Banned Toxic Pesticide – Perhaps This Is the Real Meaning Behind the Ad Campaign “This Is Why We Science”
We can’t say we were shocked by the above recent headline. This week CNN reported Monsanto pleaded guilty to illegally spraying a banned pesticide in Maui. This report comes right on the heels of Bayer Monsanto’s public relations campaign designed to show what a wonderful corporate citizen they are. In October Bayer, the parent company of Monsanto, launched its “This is why we science” campaign.
According to campaignlive.com, Bayer’s public relations campaign “aims to spread awareness of its mission as a corporation around advancing health and humanity.” This from the same company that brought us Agent Orange, PCBs and DDT. We are not sure how any of these products, or Roundup, “advances humanity.”
Apparently, Bayer believes that we are a flock of sheep, ready to listen to whatever the company says.
Monsanto tried its hand at PR back in 2017 when it attempted to discredit the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. The IARC had the audacity to label glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, a probable carcinogen.
Monsanto, not quite ready to accept the opinions of real scientists, launched a full blown attack on the IARC. It questioned the integrity of the agency and even went so far as to hire “independent” scientists to conduct a separate cancer review. Recently it was discovered that Monsanto was ghostwriting some of these “independent studies.”
How well did that work? Recently three juries found the company liable for causing cancer in four people and awarded $78 million, $278 million and $2 billion respectively. Their old ad campaign was not successful. And we don’t believe the “This is why we science campaign” will be successful either. [A copy of their ad appears below.]
Monsanto Pleads Guilty to Illegal Pesticide Application
While Monsanto is proudly telling the world how it has become a model citizen, its criminal lawyers quietly agreed to have the company plead guilty to federal criminal charges.
The pesticide Penncap-M was banned in 2013. Penncap-M was Monsanto’s brand of methyl parathion, a deadly and toxic chemical. Parathion is not only banned in the United States but most other countries as well. The chemical was developed in the 1940’s in Nazi Germany.
According to the EPA, exposure to this chemical can result in headaches, convulsions, blindness, vomiting, severe diarrhea, loss of consciousness, edema of the lungs and death.
The company pleaded to criminal charges relating to using parathion after knowing its use was banned. The Justice Department says the company will pay a fine of $10.2 million for illegally spraying the toxic chemical in Maui. Worse, the spray was used on crops.
In announcing the guilty plea, Hawaii’s United States of Attorney, Nick Hanna, said:
“The illegal conduct in this case posed a threat to the environment, surrounding communities and Monsanto workers. Federal laws and regulations impose a clear duty on every user of regulated and dangerous chemicals to ensure the products are safely stored, transported and used.”
Of the $10.2 million in fines, $4 million will be paid to various Hawaiian government agencies.
Bayer’s VP of North American Communications, Darren Wallis said the company was “deeply sorry.” It might have been more appropriate if he simply said, “This is why we science.”
A local family that filed a lawsuit against Monsanto for using the banned pesticide called the company “reckless” and demanded the company stop storing toxic pesticides near schools and people’s homes. Residents have filed suit claiming their children were born with birth defects related to pesticide exposure.
Monsanto Faces Tens of Thousands of Cancer Lawsuits – This Is Why We Science?
The recent criminal plea is one more nail in Monsanto’s coffin. Despite their robust attempts to win hearts and minds through slick advertising campaigns, the public knows better. And that is why jury after jury sides with cancer victims.
If you suffer from Non – Hodgkins Lymphoma and regularly used Roundup, you may be eligible for compensation. Unfortunately, there is nothing that courts and juries can do to restore the health of those suffering from cancer. We can hold Bayer Monsanto accountable, however.
Holding them accountable means collecting monetary relief for your pain and suffering, lost wages and medical bills. By forcing them to pay millions in damages, the company also has an economic incentive to clean up its act.
We are seeking cancer patients suffering from Non-Hodgkins lymphoma that regularly used Roundup or another glyphosate weed killer. Farmers, nursery workers, highway road crews, landscapers and active home gardeners may qualify.
We can also bring a claim on behalf of a loved one who recently died of NHL.
As promised, Bayer – Monsanto’s “This is Why We Science” video appears below. We also hope that you watch our short information video on the cancer and Roundup. Both can be found at the end of this post.
For more information, visit our Roundup Cancer claims page. Ready to see if you have a case? Contact us online, by email brian@mahanylaw.com or by phone at (202) 800-9791. We accept cases anywhere in the United States. All services are provided on a contingency fee basis meaning we don’t get paid if you don’t get paid.
If you are a Monsanto employee, skip the videos and keep reading. (Don’t worry, we have a special video for you.
Bayer’s “This Is Why We Science” video:
And Ours:
Special Whistleblower Information for Monsanto Employees
Part of the criminal charges against Monsanto involved allowing workers back into the sprayed fields after 7 days. Parathion is so dangerous that safety rules say workers should wait at least 31 days before coming into contact with sprayed plants.
In our opinion, Monsanto neither cares for the public or its workers. We believe present and former Monsanto workers know. Far more than the company is telling. We believe the company lied about PCBs and is now lying about glyphosate.
If you can help us show that Bayer has knowingly suppressed information about the safety of its products, you may be eligible for a sizeable cash reward from the SEC Whistleblower Program.
Not interested in a whistleblower reward? We still wish to speak with you, even if on an anonymous basis. Let’s show the world how Monsanto really does science!
For more information, contact us online, by email brian@mahanylaw.com or by phone at (202) 800-9791. All inquiries are kept strictly confidential and are protected by the attorney – client privilege.
Roundup is a registered trademark of Monsanto. It is unknown if the phrase “This is why we science” is copyrighted by Bayer.
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