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Monsanto is an agricultural chemical and biotechnology corporation that was acquired by Bayer AG in June 2018.[1] Monsanto is infamous for their aggressive legal maneuvering, poor treatment of farmers, sketchy business practices, and inaction regarding the carcinogenicity of their herbicide Roundup.[2][3]
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1901 |
| Legal Structure | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Agriculture, Biotechnology, Chemicals |
| Also known as | |
| Official website | https://www.monsanto.com/ |
Consumer-impact summary
Carcinogenic herbicides
There have been many accusations of clients developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from Monsanto products, most commonly with their premier herbicide "Roundup" which contains the active ingredient glyphosate.[4] Despite the many lawsuits faced by Monsanto regarding cancer diagnosis, it still remains a debated topic, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Roundup as probably carcinogenic in 2015, while following studies told otherwise.[5]
Aggressive legal action against farmers
Since 2004, over 90 lawsuits have occurred with farmers as the accused and Monsanto as the plaintiff. Most of these lawsuits have occurred around issues with seed patents.[citation needed]
Vietnam war involvement with "Agent Orange"
During the Vietnam War, Monsanto developed and produced large quantities of "Agent Orange", a powerful herbicide that the American military used to kill off thousands of acres of jungle and farmland in Vietnam. This chemical attack lead to increased cases of birth defects, diabetes and cancer among the native population even years after the war ended.[6] Furthermore, the ecological impact of these attacks have often been considered ecocide, with over 7,000,000 acres of rainforest being poisoned. This lead to a stark drop in bio-diversity in affected areas.[citation needed]
Incidents
Kemner v. Monsanto
The longest civil jury trial in American history.It ran from 1984 to 1987 with Monsanto as the defendant. The plaintiffs claimed that they had been poisoned by the chemical dioxin.[citation needed]
Alachlor lawsuits
Alachlor is a type of herbicide that has now been widely banned outside of the US. Sold by Monsanto under the name Lasso, poisoned a man in France.[citation needed]
India and foreign investment
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See also
References
- ↑ "Bayer closes Monsanto acquisition". Bayer Global. 7 Jun 2018. Archived from the original on 24 Nov 2025.
- ↑ Gillam, Carey (20 Apr 2020). "EPA faces court over backing of Monsanto's controversial crop system". The Guardian.
- ↑ Glenna, Leland; Bruce, Analena (Sep 2021). "Suborning science for profit: Monsanto, glyphosate, and private science research misconduct". ScienceDirect. Archived from the original on 13 Jul 2024.
- ↑ Yan, Holly (2018-08-11). "Jurors give $289 million to a man they say got cancer from Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller". CNN Health. Archived from the original on 10 Aug 2025. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ Dixon, Emily (15 Feb 2019). "Common weed killer glyphosate increases cancer risk by 41%, study says". CNN Health. Archived from the original on 13 Feb 2026.
- ↑ Ghosal, Aniruddha; Dinh, Hau (2025-04-30). "The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago, but the battle with Agent Orange continues". AP News. Archived from the original on 2 Nov 2025. Retrieved 2026-02-11.