A first of its kind trial over whether Monsanto herbicide Roundup caused a groundskeeper's lethal cancer is scheduled to begin here on July 9 with opening remarks by attorneys.

The stakes are high for Monsanto, which could face massive losses should it have to pay out damages over the product, whose main ingredient is glyphosate, a substance which some say is dangerously carcinogenic.

Dewayne Johnson, a 46-year-old father of two, says he is sick because of contact with Roundup, which he used for two years from 2012 as a groundskeeper for the Benicia school district near San Francisco, his lawyer Timothy Litzenburg told AFP.

Thousands of lawsuits targeting Monsanto are currently proceeding through the US court system, according to American media.

Whether the substance causes cancer has been the source of endless debate among government regulators, health experts and lawyers.

Californian law allows for an expedited procedure when a party is facing imminent death, and Johnson's is the first targeting Roundup to use that law and reach trial.

A jury of five women and seven men was empaneled on Thursday, and presentation of evidence will commence after opening remarks, according to the San Francisco court.

Related Links
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Palm oil 'decimating' wildlife, solutions elusive: report
Paris (AFP) June 26, 2018
Palm oil production has "decimated" animal and plant life in Malaysia and Indonesia and threatens pristine forests in central Africa and South America, a leading international conservation group warned Tuesday. Habitat loss due to expanding plantations has pushed some of the planet's most iconic species - including orangutans, tigers and some gibbons - to the brink of extinction, the International Union for the Conservation for Nature (IUCN) said in a report. A certification system designed to ... read more