Monsanto secretly attacks anti-GMO Activists, Court Documents show

Monsanto secretly attacks anti-GMO Activists, Court Documents show

Recently obtained court documents reveal that Monsanto has been secretly feeding money to “think tanks,” such as the infamous ‘Genetic Literacy Project.’ A lawsuit filed against Monsanto in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California has begun to spill the beans on the company.

The lawsuit petition charges that Monsanto quietly funnels money to “think tanks” such as the “Genetic Literacy Project” and the “American Council on Science and Health.” Such astroturf organizations are used by corporations like Monsanto in an attempt to influence (Read: bully) scientists and promote (mis)information flattering to Monsanto and other chemical companies.

Glyphosate a Probable Carcinogen
After the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced last year that glyphosate was a probable carcinogen, Monsanto has sought to discredit the agency. Monsanto has used proxies such as the so-called ‘American Council on Science and Health’ and the so-called ‘Genetic Literacy Project,’ to do the dirty work.

The American Council on Science and Health (tied to Monsanto through hidden means) recently published articles accusing the IARC of ignoring the “science” on glyphosate.  Natural News reports that the Genetic Literacy Project, led by former Forbes.com writer/wife beater Jon Entine, has also published pieces calling for the IARC to be abolished.  The phony ‘Project,’ a classic Astroturf organization, has even accused the US of “unwittingly funding” conspiracies against Monsanto.  (“Conspiracy Theory” was first trotted out in a CIA memo used to discredit anyone researching JFK’s murder in Dallas.)

These allegations against Monsanto are backed up by a string of emails submitted in court as evidence. Some of these exchanges involve Monsanto executives suggesting that their staff “ghost write” material on Monsanto products and then have some “independent scientists” sign their names to save on costs. One such exchange occurred between Monsanto’s William Heydens and his colleagues:

Mr. Heydens wrote: “A less expensive/more palatable approach might be to involve experts only for the areas of contention, epidemiology and possibly MOA (depending on what comes out of the IARC meeting), and we ghost-write the Exposure Tox & Genetox sections. An option would be to add Greim and Kier or Kirkland to have their names on the publication, but we would be keeping the cost down by us doing the writing and they would just edit & sign their names so to speak. Recall that is how we handled Williams Kroes & Munro, 2000.”

Besides the emails and evidence of Monsanto’s collusion with government agencies and “think tanks,” Monsanto also stands accused of hiring “trolls” to defend the company on the web and attack any Monsanto detractors. (Tall order, considering the number of people who hate Monsanto; but Monsanto can afford it.)

Monsanto’s ‘Let Nothing Go’ Program
Evidence presented in the pretrials of Monsanto court cases at the US District Court in San Francisco has shown that in its “Let Nothing Go” program, Monsanto hired bloggers who appeared to have no relation to the company. The people were hired to troll the internet in support of Monsanto. Fake bloggers (‘fake’ because they were paid and they hid their Monsanto ties) were hired to post positive comments about Monsanto and praise the wonders of its toxic chemicals and GMO crops.

Monsanto Facebook
The goal of the Let Nothing Go program was “to leave nothing, not even Facebook comments, unanswered…” Monsanto emails show the plan in court documents. The plaintiffs say Monsanto has, through this program, been targeting all forms of social media and other online materials. Even comments on social networks that merely mention the potential hazards of things like glyphosate or genetically modified crops have been targeted by Monsanto’s trolls, according to the petition.

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and other anti-GMO activists, have been particularly targeted by Monsanto attacks. Adams was also recently de-listed by Google in a stunning violation of his first amendment rights; so one can also now wonder about ties between Google and Monsanto. Mr. Adams has been a prime target of pro-GMO trolls: The so-called ‘Genetic Literacy Project’ and other corporate front groups have published hit pieces on Mr. Adams and other anti-GMO activists and Monsanto critics.

Monsanto secretly attacks anti-GMO Activists, Court Documents show

The evidence revealed in these court documents sheds bright light on just how Monsanto works to destroy its critics and destroy or control discourse on GMO’s.  Lie as they may, and collude as they must, Monsanto is still losing this battle, despite its profits. More and more people are waking up to the dawn of a new day, one with fewer pesticides spoiling our air, food, water, and public discourse. The truth will out, and out will go Monsanto.

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by Matthews & Associates