Monsanto found liable for weedkiller poisoning in France

Posted at 04:24 PM ET, 02/13/2012
Monsanto found liable for weedkiller poisoning in France
By Elizabeth Flock

Memory loss. Headaches. Stammering.

French farmer Paul Francois says he suffered all three neurological problems after inhaling a weedkiller made by biotech giant Monsanto in 2004. On Monday, a French court found Monsanto legally responsible for poisoning Francois and ordered the company to compensate him “entirely,” Agence France-Presse reports.

The decision could affect more than just Francois; it marks the first time a farmer has successfully sued the company over claims of the health problems caused by pesticides.

Francois, who is 47, told Reuters that he was pleased with the decision but said many other farmers have already been affected.

“I am alive today, but part of the farming population is going to be sacrificed and is going to die because of this,” he told Reuters.

More:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...prss=rss_world