TLDR;
This video investigates Monsanto's history, from its early herbicide development to its rise as a dominant agricultural company. It covers the health risks associated with its products, particularly Agent Orange and Roundup, and the legal battles over their safety. The video also explores Monsanto's aggressive business practices, including patent enforcement and alleged manipulation of scientific research.
- Monsanto's early herbicides, including Agent Orange, had significant health risks.
- Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate, has been linked to cancer.
- Monsanto allegedly manipulated scientific research and colluded with regulatory agencies to downplay the risks of its products.
- The company aggressively enforced its patents, leading to lawsuits and financial hardship for farmers.
- Bayer acquired Monsanto and has faced significant legal liabilities related to Roundup.
An Unusual Enemy [0:00]
In 1942, chemist Franklin D. Jones discovered 2,4-D, a synthetic hormone that could kill broad-leaved weeds like poison ivy without harming grass crops. Jones found that 2,4-D caused uncontrollable growth in the ivy, effectively leading to its death. He also experimented with a similar chemical, 2,4,5-T, which had an even milder effect on grasses. These discoveries led to the development of the first practically viable selective herbicides, offering farmers a new way to manage weeds without dangerous chemicals like arsenic or manual labor.
Monsanto’s Secret Poison Problem [5:18]
By the late 1940s, the herbicide business became a $10 million industry, attracting companies like Monsanto. At their Nitro, West Virginia factory, Monsanto produced almost a ton of 2,4,5-T daily. In 1949, an explosion at the plant exposed workers to a black, stinking powder, causing severe skin issues, including bumps and acne. Doctors noted the workers were excreting a foreign chemical through their skin, but the company didn't know what it was. Monsanto continued production, offering workers the choice to keep working with 2,4,5-T or leave. In 1957, a German dermatologist, Karl Schulz, identified dioxin as the contaminant causing the skin disorders. He discovered that dioxin formed when tetrachlorobenzene was heated at slightly higher temperatures during the production of 2,4,5-T. Schulz warned major chemical producers, including Monsanto and Dow, about the dangers of dioxin contamination, but Monsanto denied receiving the letters, and Dow claimed to have misfiled them.
Vietnam and Agent Orange [11:17]
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military used Agent Orange, a 50/50 mix of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, to destroy jungle cover used by the Viet Cong. Monsanto was the largest supplier of Agent Orange. Despite knowing about the dangers of dioxin contamination in 2,4,5-T, neither Monsanto nor Dow warned the U.S. government. The U.S. sprayed 72 million liters of Agent Orange in South Vietnam, containing 80 liters of dioxin, leading to severe health issues for civilians and soldiers, including skin diseases, cancer, and birth defects. By some estimates, as many as three million people suffered from the effects of Agent Orange.
Roundup [14:08]
As regulators began to recognize the dangers of dioxin in 2,4,5-T, Monsanto sought a safer alternative. In the early 1970s, scientist John E. Franz discovered glyphosate, a highly effective herbicide. Glyphosate disrupts the Shikimate pathway, a chemical process essential for plant survival, by mimicking PEP and blocking the EPSPS enzyme. This pathway is unique to plants, bacteria, and fungi, making glyphosate seemingly safe for humans and animals. Microorganisms in the soil break down glyphosate into safe byproducts, making it biodegradable. In 1974, Monsanto introduced Roundup, containing glyphosate, which quickly became a popular herbicide.
The Roundup Ready Monopoly [19:31]
Roundup killed all weeds, unlike 2,4-D, enabling no-till farming. Monsanto marketed Roundup as safer than table salt. By the late 1980s, Monsanto was making a billion dollars annually from Roundup sales. Glyphosate's unique molecular structure prevented competitors from creating similar herbicides. To expand their market, Monsanto aimed to create crops resistant to Roundup, allowing farmers to spray it throughout the year. Monsanto created Roundup Ready crops by modifying plant DNA to produce more EPSPS, using a gene gun to insert salmonella DNA into plant cells. By 1998, Monsanto had patents for Roundup Ready canola, corn, and cotton.
The Seed Police [26:06]
Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds quickly dominated the market. Farmers had to sign a Technology Use Agreement, prohibiting them from saving or sharing seeds. Monsanto's representatives were granted access to farmers' lands to examine crops and seeds. Farmers who didn't use Roundup Ready seeds were affected by herbicide drift from neighboring farms. Monsanto used aggressive tactics to enforce its patents, including hiring private detectives and ex-cops to inspect farms. They also had a hotline for farmers to report on their neighbors. By 2013, Monsanto had sued over 400 farmers, earning over $20 million.
The Monsanto Papers [31:10]
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans," shocking Monsanto. Other organizations, like the EPA and WHO, claimed glyphosate posed no carcinogenic risk. Brent Wisner, a California lawyer, investigated Monsanto after reports of Roundup users developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Wisner and other lawyers sued Monsanto, gaining access to internal documents known as the Monsanto Papers. These documents revealed that Monsanto had manipulated data, colluded with corrupt EPA officials, and ghost-written safety studies. In 1983, Monsanto submitted a toxicology study to the EPA showing that mice receiving higher doses of glyphosate were developing rare kidney tumors, but the EPA later classified glyphosate as non-carcinogenic for humans.
How dangerous is Roundup really? [41:18]
The Monsanto Papers revealed that Monsanto manipulated scientific research and discredited opposing views using a "Let Nothing Go" strategy. In 2018, over 11,000 plaintiffs filed lawsuits against Monsanto. Just as the first lawsuit was starting, Monsanto signed an acquisition deal with Bayer. In 2025, Bayer had to settle more than a hundred thousand cancer lawsuits for over $10 billion. IARC cited genotoxicity and disruption of the gut microbiome as potential risks of glyphosate exposure. While the EPA and other organizations disagree with IARC, courts have criticized the EPA's analysis of glyphosate. Today, Bayer still denies that glyphosate is a carcinogen but has removed it from commercial products. Overuse of glyphosate has led to more than 60 species of weed becoming resistant to it.