Yolo DA Denial of Rights Won’t Silence Planet Advocates, Who Plan to Put Biotech Giant Monsanto on Trial for Poisoning World

(From Press Release) – The “Monsanto 10,” environmental and social justice activists arrested and jailed last May 22 at a protest at Monsanto’s plant here – the largest Biotech seed facility in the world – will hold another rally here before a court hearing Monday/Sept. 18 at Yolo Superior Court (1000 Main St. Dept. 1).

A “Put Monsanto on Trial” rally is planned for 8:30 a.m. before the 9:30 a.m. hearing.

The Yolo District Attorney is attempting to avoid that “Monsanto Trial” by only filing a single infraction – that robs the defendants of their right to a jury trial – instead of the three original misdemeanors, which would have guaranteed jury trials.

However, the 10 defendants – who hail from Sacramento, Grass Valley and other parts of Northern California – will make public details Monday of how they will still take their cases, and Monsanto, to trial.

BACKGROUND There were more than 400 “Anti-Monsanto/Anti-GMO” demonstrations worldwide in 47 states and 52 countries on six continents this in May. http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/

World regulatory organizations have openly declared Monsanto’s glyphosate-containing Roundup herbicide to be a serious threat to health. The leading authority on human wellness protocols, The World

Health Organization, has already determined Monsanto’s Roundup to be a ‘probable carcinogen’ within the food supply. Glyphosate has been detected in groundwater supplies and 60-100 percent of rainwater collection samples in various parts of the world, inciting concerns of mass pollution on a global scale.

The Woodland Monsanto plant is the world’s largest Biotech seed facility in the world. Monsanto controls 92 percent of the world’s seed market and conducts genetic engineering (GE) which produces genetically modified foods (GMOs)….genetically mutated products that reach food markets and food tables, linked to an array of health and safety issues, and more. The actions also protest the predatory business practices of giant Monsanto.

GMOs are partially banned by Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Russia, Luxembourg, Madeira, New Zealand, Peru, South America, France, Switzerland and Costa Rico, and are currently labeled in 64 countries. 95 percent of Americans surveyed call for labeling of GMO foods (The right to know what they are eating). http://www.justlabelit.org/right-to-know-center/labeling-around-the-world/

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in California and in the United States. More than 280 million pounds were used in U.S. agriculture, primarily due to the widespread adoption of genetically engineered crops. In 2013, 10 million pounds was used in California alone, with half of that usage being sprayed in eight of the state’s poorest counties on farm fields, lawns, gardens, school grounds, and parks, with five of those poorest counties being in the south Central Valley.

Activists claim banning glyphosate would be a good start towards controlling the poisoning of our fertile farm fields and protecting our children and families from this menace. No school grounds where children lunch and play, no public parks where children and families lunch and play, should ever be subjected to glyphosate and other pesticide and herbicide spraying. There are much safer and sensible alternatives that can be used.