Glyphosate, more commonly known as
Roundup®, is the most
widely used herbicide on the planet.
It's also the
central cash cow for the agrochemical giant
Monsanto.
Undeniably effective in controlling the growth of
crop-destroying weeds, the chemical is also the main
culprit in a series of suspected risks to humans,
animals and the environment in general.
The
Monsanto Papers outlines these dangers, and the devious
tactics employed by the company to evade responsibility.
"Farmers are junkies to this chemical," says one of
the product's detractors whose wife has been
diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
He
would come home at the end of a long way stinking of the
weed repellent, and he now blames himself for passing on
its severe health risks to his ailing wife.
Is Monsanto dealing in a chemical they know causes
cancer?
The fight for the truth involves a battle of
wills between public safety advocates and the strong arm
tactics of Big Agriculture.
In spite of a recent $200 million dollar verdict against
the company, Monsanto representatives claim that over
800 scientific studies testify to the safety of their
product.
Most
of the farmers they serve stand in defiant defense of
the company; after all, their products are essential in
maintaining their livelihoods.
But critics claim the company has ghostwritten or
manipulated many of these "scientific" studies to favor
their bottom line.
Safety study numbers were doctored, flawed approaches
were employed, and EPA recommendations were ignored and
eventually reversed under pressure.
False advertising targeted the most vulnerable consumers
throughout the heartland of America in spite of being
banned in other regions like New York.
These assertions are contained in The Monsanto Papers,
thousands of discovery documents that were submitted to
the courts as required by law.
The
film spends much of its running time examining the
details in these documents, and it's complimented by
informative interviews with environmental advocates,
independent experts, and even a top-level representative
from Monsanto.
Produced by ABC News Australia, the film portrays a
potential health crisis that transcends the American
landscape.
The
Monsanto Papers is a hard-hitting expose on corporate
malpractices, but it's fair minded enough to include
several voices of dissent.
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