The World According to Monsanto (Le Monde selon Monsanto)

So, it's Roundup herbicide

that's specially formulated for big jobs.

That's the new one.

On this one it says: "Biodegradable".

That's the old one.

It doesn't say biodegradable anymore,

so it must no longer be biodegradable.

It's the same product.

I imagine that they don't have the right to say it anymore.

It must not really be biodegradable.

Careful not to spray it in my face!

I'm not a murderer.

Well, I'm sure these Roundup Ready soybeans

are ready to harvest today. They're probably about...

I'm gonna say about 11 and a half percent moisture,

so they're perfect for harvest.

I first heard about Roundup Ready soybeans

in a farm magazine about eight years ago

and it seemed like a neat innovation.

The soybean has a protein genetically inserted

into the plant and its resistance of Roundup.

The Roundup is sprayed on the plants.

There's some definite advantages.

If you look at our... my field here, you don't see weeds.

"When label directions

"are carefully followed,

"Roundup is not harmful to humans,

"animals or their environment."

"Copyright Monsanto,

made in Belgium."

If you see any snails,

don't spray them because they'll be inedible.

Watch the strawberries!

I'd encourage European farmers to take a look

at the Roundup Ready technology.

Frankly, it's very good for the environment.

It's a sustainable system.

So... give it a try!

Monsanto.

For twenty years I've traveled the globe

and everywhere

I've heard about this American multinational.

But what I've heard hasn't always been positive.

Wanting to know more, I surfed the Web for months

to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

On its Web site,

Monsanto positions itself

as an agricultural company that aims

"to help farmers produce healthier food,

"while reducing agriculture's impact

on our environment".

Its leading product is Roundup,

the world's best-selling herbicide

for the last 30 years.

: "One shot. All it takes for weeds. Roundup."

Monsanto is also the world leader in biotechnology.

90% of the GMOs grown on the planet belong to them.

Most of them have been genetically modified

to resist the application of Roundup.

Like Roundup Ready soybeans.

Monsanto's GMOs have invaded the planet,

but no ag-industry product in history

has ever incited as much controversy and passion.

Why?

What's at stake with GMOs?

And, could the company's past shed some light

on what the company is,

or claims to be today?

Founded in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1901,

it was not always an agricultural company.

It was one of the largest chemical companies

of the 20th century.

"Chemistry is working for you.

"And very likely Monsanto is working for you.

"Monsanto,

"where creative chemistry works wonders for you."

The "wonders" boasted about in this commercial

made Monsanto one of the most controversial companies

in the industrial era.

These chemically-created oils,

used worldwide as coolants and lubricants

in electrical equipment, were the jewels

in Monsanto's crown for over 50 years.

They were called "Arochlor" in the United States,

"Pyralène" in France and "Clophen" in Germany,

until they were banned in the early 1980s.

"Monsanto PCB"...

A Washington Post article from 2002.

It happened in Anniston, Alabama.

Terry was my baby brother.

He died in 1971

from a cancer of the brains, tumour of the brains,

cancer of the lungs,

and arteries of the heart. He was 16.

In the last three years,

I have lost most friends.

They died from illnesses:

cancer, sugar diabetes, hepatitis.

All these different illnesses that comes with PCBs

and have been related to PCBs.

This is Monsanto road.

This is all just a black area

of minorities that live in this area.

But every one of these homes was like contaminated.

They just cleaned that yard up, over there, to the right,

about six months ago.

These was all homes, these people lived here

and now, they had to move. I mean, the houses was torn down.

My brother fell dead right around the house.

This is the house I was raised in.

And see this grass right here? They buried PCBs over here.

Monsanto got permission to bury PCBs in Anniston.

This is Snow Creek right here,

where they put the cement in here.

It comes from the plant, discharging PCBs,

all the way down through here.

And it was poisoning... They never told anybody.

But they told the State. The State didn't tell us.

'PCB Monsanto knew'... But what exactly did they know?

An environmental organization in Washington D.C.,

headed by Ken Cook,

has put internal Monsanto files online.

Most of them are classified "Confidential"

"F.Y.I. and destroy".

1937: "Exposure to PCBs

"provokes systemic toxic effects"

and "acne-form skin eruption".

In 1961, two workers developed hepatitis symptoms

after a pipe broke

in a factory using PCBs.

In 1966 Monsanto scientists placed fish

in Snow Creek's water:

"All were dead in three and a half minutes."

Pollution:

A letter addressed to sales executives in 1970.

- This is the one that really tells you the story.

They're saying: "We can't afford

to lose one dollar of business".

Their neighbours in Anniston were not told

about the poisoning that they were inflicting upon them

because they didn't want to lose one dollar.

It was only when lawyers went to court

on behalf of people in Anniston

and forced the company, through the legal system,

to disclose these internal, secret documents,

that we knew what they knew.

They knew the truth from the very beginning.

They lied about it.

They hid the truth from their neighbours,

they hid the truth in many cases from the government authorities

and when they did share information

with government authorities,

that should have been acted upon,

the government authorities, instead of siding

with the people who were being poisoned,

sided with the company. They sided with Monsanto.

It was outrageous. Absolutely unforgivable!

This is all your medicine? - Yeah.

No, that ain't all of it. I got some more here.

How much you have in you? - 63.8.

In the blood. - In the blood.

If they took a fatty biopsy of him, now,

he'd probably would top the scales

at about 3,000 or 4,000 parts per billion, or more.

- And which is the level acceptable, I mean...?

Acceptable is two part per billion.

That's the standard all around the world.

But these people, we have more in our bloods

and in our bodies than actually anywhere else in the world.

It's usual here

to speak about his PCB level?

We all talks about it

because it became a household word, now.

Kids used to run up to me: "Mr. Baker, I-- I got tested,

"I had 3 point part per billion in my blood.

How long you think I got?"

That's a horrible story.

But, what do scientists think about it?

On the Web, you can find numerous articles

concerning the effects of PCBs on human health.

David Carpenter is one

of the most qualified specialists in the field.

He carried out the testing for the Anniston residents.

We all have PCBs in our bodies.

The polar bears and the penguins have PCBs.

And what has happened is, in the past,

there were a few sites where PCBs were released.

But over time, they've gone into the air,

they've gone into the water, they've transported,

so the whole world is now contaminated with PCBs.

The issue is that many diseases

are caused by PCB exposure.

The one everyone knows about is cancer.

My test results stated I've had 2-0-2.

Two hundred and two parts per billion in my system.

Women that get pregnant

and have PCBs in their body

will have a child with a reduced IQ.

Twenty-nine point six.

PCBs cause reduced thyroid function.