The news was left unnoticed. A French court ruled against Monsanto and ordered the company to indemnify a farmer who was intoxicated by inhaling the vapor of Lasso herbicide, sold by the company, which has been banned in the European Union for 5 years.

The US corporation and world leader in agrotoxics and genetically modified seeds was condemned on Monday 13 by a High Court of the city of Lyon to indemnify the 47 year-old French farmer who inhaled Lasso herbicide by accident in 2004, which had severe consequences on his health. The amount of the indemnification will be evaluated by a medical court.

The farmer, Paul François, said this is a victory and could set a precedent so that similar rulings will follow. “I am alive, but part of the agriculture population will be sacrificed and die as a result of this”, Francois told Reuters news agency after learning about the court’s ruling. Monsanto said it would appeal the decision.

After inhaling the herbicide, the cereal farmer began to feel nauseous and to experience stuttering, vertigo, headaches and other problems that forced him to interrupt his activity for a year. In May of 2005 health tests ran on him revealed traces of monochlorobenzene in his organism, a strong solvent which is part of the composition of Lasso together with the active product, alachlor.

After learning the news, the member of the Coordination of La Via Campesina Europe, Andrea Ferrante consider this a historical decision that shows the social, health and environmental costs hidden behind the agribusiness model.

In interview with Real World Radio on Wednesday, the member of the Italian Association of Organic Agriculture (AIAB) said “this is the first time that the phitosanitary products are recognized to affect peasants, not only consumers. The ruling provides us with a tool to fight for another agriculture model without transnational corporations” said Ferrante. “Agribusiness transnational corporations do not pay the social cost they create, it is a hidden cost”.

Ferrante also talked about BASF’s withdrawal of its research of genetically modified organisms in Europe as a result of the unfavorable public opinion towards genetic manipulations and its consequences.

“It is clear that the GM market in Europe does not interest” corporations “because they imply many problems and the investments become losses. It is almost impossible to plant GMO in Europe today”, said the peasant leader.

Photo: noticias.lainformacion.com