AGRIBUSINESS: Fabián Tomasi, Who Exposed the Toxic Nature of Argentine Agribusiness, Dies.

Fabián Tomasi, Who Exposed the Toxic Nature of Argentine Agribusiness, Dies. Tomasi suffered from a serious illness due to his exposure to pesticides and despite his physical pain, raised his voice to denounce the multimillionaire agribusiness companies responsible .Fabián Tomasi, who contracted severe toxic polyneuropathy due to his exposure to pesticides as an agricultural worker, but fought back by becoming an iconic voice against the impact of agribusiness and toxic chemicals, died on September 7. AGRIBUSINESS: Fabián Tomasi, Who Exposed the Toxic Nature of Argentine Agribusiness, Dies. He had been in hospital for five days after having been diagnosed with pneumonia. Even as his illness inhibited his mobility and caused extreme pain, Tomasi valiantly continued to talk about the impact of chemicals (some of which are illegal), which are widely used in several provinces in the north of Argentina by agribusiness companies. This has led to thousands of cases of cancer, malformations and other related illnesses, which are often ignored or denied by the government and these companies. Below is a piece written by Tomasi in March for La Garganta Poderosa about his life, illness, struggle and about those responsible for the suffering of his community.AGRIBUSINESS: Fabián Tomasi, Who Exposed the Toxic Nature of Argentine Agribusiness, Dies. Many coastal provinces have been destroyed by glyphosate and other chemicals, as if they willingly forgot that we human beings have 70% genetic similarity with plants. How did they expect their poison to tell us apart? They don’t. This is why when they fumigate, only 20% remains in the vegetables and the rest is in the air that we breathe. It is not enough to say “Get out Monsanto,” because the chains of evil today extend to the rest of the multi-million dollar companies and they are tangled up in silence. Today, there are no sicknesses without poison and there is no poison without this criminal collusion between multinational companies, the health industry, the governments and the justice system.

Pesticides, human health, and food security.

Pesticides, human health, and food security. The worldwide population is projected to increase to 9 billion by 2050 (United Nations 2015). To accommodate this increase, food production will necessarily need to increase as well. However, new agricultural land is limited, so sustainable production and increasing productivity of existing agricultural land is an important aspect to addressing global food security (Popp et al. 2013). Food security has been described as a condition of humanity “…when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” (Food and Agriculture Organization 1996). Increases in the terrestrial agricultural production of food and fish farming will be necessary to ensure adequate food availability, but this is only part of the larger concept of food security that also comprises food access, utilization, and stability (Food and Agriculture Organization 2006). Given that there is limited additional land available for agriculture and sites for fish farming coupled with increasing economic pressures to produce agricultural commodities for industrial purposes, including fiber and biofuels, strategies to increase agricultural yield will need to be used to meet the increase in food demand for the immediate future . For the near and foreseeable future, pesticides may be an important component of a comprehensive strategy to increase crop yield by preventing both pre and postharvest loss to pests.“Pesticides are substances used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest ranging from insects, animals and weeds to microorganisms” (Grube et al. 2011), but inadvertent exposure to pesticides may adversely affect human health. Glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization is the active ingredient in Roundup, the Monsanto weed killer that is the most heavily used pesticide ,has been found to leave residue in food thus posing health risks. Each year, more than 250 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed on American crops, primarily on “Roundup-ready” corn and soybeans genetically engineered to withstand the herbicide. But when it comes to the food we eat, the highest glyphosate levels are not found in products made with GMO corn. Increasingly, glyphosate is also sprayed just before harvest on wheat, barley, oats and beans that are not genetically engineered. Glyphosate kills the crop, drying it out so that it can be harvested sooner than if the plant were allowed to die naturally.

Weed Killer in $289 Million Cancer Verdict Found in Oat Cereal and Granola Bars.

Weed Killer in $289 Million Cancer Verdict Found in Oat Cereal and Granola Bars.Popular oat cereals, oatmeal, granola and snack bars come with a hefty dose of the weed-killing poison in Roundup, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by EWG. Glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization, was found in all but two of 45 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats. Almost three-fourths of those samples had glyphosate levels higher than what EWG scientists consider protective of children’s health with an adequate margin of safety. About one-third of 16 samples made with organically grown oats also had glyphosate, all at levels well below EWG’s health benchmark. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, the Monsanto weed killer that is the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S.

Monsanto knew about glyphosate-cancer link 35 years ago.

Monsanto knew about glyphosate-cancer link 35 years ago. The almighty Monsanto has recently come under fire, after the World Health Organization labeled the main ingredient in the company’s popular Roundup weed killer product to be a human carcinogen. Monsanto is currently in damage control mode in an effort to pick up the pieces from this public relations disaster. In reality, Monsanto has known about the link between glyphosate and cancer for upwards of 35 years. It’s no surprise the evil giant has kept quiet for profit’s sake. The effects of glyphosate on the human body have been studied for years by research scientist Dr. Anthony Samsel, who has revealed the harmfulness of its nature. Samsel has also worked with Dr. Stephanie Seneff, who released a warning that upwards of half of all children in the U.S. could be autistic by year 2025. The impending autism rate will largely be caused by exposure to glyphosate. Samsel was recently given a look into a “trade secret” file that had been sealed away since 1981 at the request of the Monsanto Company. Samsel was able to view the document thanks to his field of study. Though he was not granted permission to show the file to anyone, he is allowed to speak his thoughts on his findings. Samsel was interviewed by journalist Tony Mitra, and spoke about his findings on camera. He talks about disturbing evidence which shows “significant incidences of cell tumors of the tests and tumor growth in multiple organs and tissues” of lab animals. Samsel also discusses the fact that there is evidence that glyphosate enters bone marrow almost immediately. This entry into the bone marrow prevents the formation of new cells in living organisms. Samsel continues to highlight a higher incidence of benign tumors and cancerous tumors that, in almost every single case, begin in outer tissues.

Brazil Judge Suspends Use of Agrochemical Glyphosate.

Brazil Judge Suspends Use of Agrochemical Glyphosate. A Brazilian judge has suspended the use of products containing the agrochemical glyphosate, a widely employed herbicide for soy and other crops in the country, according to legal filings. A federal judge in Brasilia ruled that new products containing the chemical could not be registered in the country and existing registrations would be suspended within the next 30 days, until the government reevaluates their toxicology. The decision, which could be subject to multiple appeals, also applies to the insecticide abamectin and the fungicide thiram. The ruling affects companies such as Monsanto Co, which markets a glyphosate-resistant, genetically-modified type of soybean that is planted on a large scale in Brazil. Monsanto is now a unit of Bayer AG, following a $62.5 billion takeover of the U.S. seed major which closed in June. Certain glyphosate-resistant corn and cotton strains have also been authorized in Brazil.

Monsanto Loses Landmark Roundup Cancer Trial, Set to Pay USD 289 Million in Damages.

Monsanto Loses Landmark Roundup Cancer Trial, Set to Pay USD 289 Million in Damages. Monsanto has lost a landmark cancer trial in San Francisco and has been ordered by the Judge to pay over USD 289 Million in total damages to the former school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, a California father who has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was caused by Monsanto’s glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup.