Exclusive: In the weeds - How Bayer, U.S. government teamed up against Thailand's glyphosate ban

[webfact]

Exclusive: In the weeds - How Bayer, U.S. government teamed up against Thailand's glyphosate ban

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat

 

FILE PHOTO: A farmer sprays an unidentified pesticide over a rice field in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Chemicals giant Bayer and the U.S. government cooperated closely last year to lobby Thailand to reverse its ban on glyphosate, used in the company's controversial weedkiller Roundup, documents obtained by an environmental group and reviewed by Reuters show.

 

The lobbying, including U.S. trade officials asking Bayer for information on Thailand's deputy agriculture minister, is detailed in more than 200 pages of partially redacted documents and emails, some directly between U.S. officials and a Bayer representative.

 

The documents were obtained under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act by the Tucson, Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, which shared them with Reuters.

 

Thailand eventually dropped plans to ban glyphosate a few days before the ban was due to come into force in December 2019. It had approved the restriction in October citing concerns over the chemical's impact on human health.

 

Reuters was unable to determine the reasons for the reversal or whether efforts by the United States and Bayer played a role in Thailand's decision.

A government spokeswoman denied any foreign influence on the reversal of the ban.  

 

While regulators worldwide, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have determined glyphosate to be safe, Bayer agreed in June to settle nearly 100,000 U.S. lawsuits for $10.9 billion, denying claims that Roundup caused cancer.

 

Thailand had initiated significant steps in August 2019 to ban glyphosate and other chemicals widely deemed toxic to humans. The World Health Organization's cancer research arm classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in March 2015.

 

As Thailand considered the ban on glyphosate, Bayer kicked off its lobbying effort. The Germany-headquartered firm, which acquired U.S. Roundup maker Monsanto for $63 billion in 2018, made an appeal for help arguing against the ban to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Sept. 18 last year, the documents reviewed by Reuters show.

 

CONSISTENT WITH LAWS, RULES -BAYER

In a statement to Reuters, Bayer said, "Our engagements with all those in the public sector are routine, professional, and consistent with all laws and regulations."

 

"The Thai authorities' reversal of the ban on glyphosate is consistent with the science-based determinations by regulatory bodies around the world."

 

Ratchada Dhanadirek, a spokeswoman for Thailand's government, said the country supported safe agriculture and prioritised farmers' and consumers' health, noting that glyphosate was widely used internationally and there was no viable alternative.

 

The Prime Minister's Office denied knowledge of the U.S. or Bayer's lobbying efforts when asked to comment on the documents reviewed by Reuters.

 

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on the documents and its role in the reversal of the ban.

 

'FOCUS ON THE PM'

The documents show that deputy agriculture minister Mananya Thaiset was identified in particular by Bayer as "seeking to dramatically accelerate the imposition of a ban" on glyphosate and other farm chemicals.

 

In July, before the documents were shared with Reuters, Mananya said she was motivated to ban glyphosate and other chemicals after attending many farmers' funerals in her previous job as a mayor.

 

USTR officials discussed Mananya in an internal email chain dated Oct. 22, the day that Thailand approved plans to ban glyphosate, the documents show. In a separate email to Bayer, an unidentified USTR official sought more information on her from the chemicals company.

 

"Knowing what motivates her may help with USG (U.S. government) counter-arguments" to reverse the ban, the official wrote. "She has no record of being diehard advocate of organic food and/or staunch environmentalist," Bayer's Senior Director for International Government Affairs and Trade, Jim Travis, replied.

 

Mananya couldn't be reached for comment on whether she had been approached by Bayer or U.S. officials and her office declined Reuters' requests for comment on the documents.

 

While Bayer and the USTR sought to understand the mindset of Mananya, whom one USTR official described as "well-connected", the documents make clear their main objective was access to the prime minister.

 

In an emailed response to the USTR on Oct. 24, Bayer's Travis said, "All efforts should be focused on the PM," referring to Thailand's Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha.

 

Prayuth could not be reached for comment on the documents. He has rarely expressed his views publicly on the chemical ban. After the glyphosate ban was reversed, he only said, he had "no problem" with the decision.

 

GROWING MARKET

On Oct. 17, Ted McKinney, the USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, wrote to Prayuth, asking for a postponement of the ban. Prayuth repeatedly declined to comment on McKinney's letter when asked by reporters.

 

"The U.S. EPA ... has found that there are no risks to human health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label," a USDA spokesperson said in response to Reuters' request for comment on the documents.

 

A ban on glyphosate would have meant grain grown using it could not enter Thailand, denying U.S. exporters of bulk crops - including soybeans and wheat - access to a market that, like others in Southeast Asia, has grown massively from 2015 to nearly $1 billion in value in 2019, U.S. data shows.

 

(Graphic: U.S. crop sales to Thailand since 2010, https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/jbyvrqzggpe/USCropSalestoThailand.png)

 

(Graphic: Southeast Asia has emerged as a key growth market for U.S. crop exporters,

https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/xklvynwnxpg/USBulkCropDestinations.png)

 

Despite the initial lobbying efforts, Thailand's National Hazardous Substances Committee formally approved the ban on Oct. 22 with an effective start date in December.

 

U.S. officials continued their efforts as late as Nov. 26, the documents show.

 

On Nov. 27, Thailand reversed course. A government committee announced the country was abandoning the ban four days before it was due to take effect, citing concerns over foreign trade impact, alongside the impact on farmers and food and animal feed industries.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Kenneth Maxwell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-17

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[JoePai]

The U.S. EPA ... has found that there are no risks to human health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label

 

But that in a nut shell is the problem - Thai farmers cannot read and so overdose i.e. Thai thinking more is better

[Bender Rodriguez]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

including U.S. trade officials asking Bayer

bayer is german, right ? operation paperclip 2 ?

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=who+glyphosate+carcinogen

 

In March 2015, IARC classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A).

Edited September 17, 2020 by Bender Rodriguez

[nobodysfriend]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

While regulators worldwide, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have determined glyphosate to be safe, Bayer agreed in June to settle nearly 100,000 U.S. lawsuits for $10.9 billion, denying claims that Roundup caused cancer.

Glyphosate is well known to cause cancer and , consequently , banned in many countries .

If Thailand reversed on it's decision to ban Glyphosate , it was clear that money talked ...

They deny that , of course , but all that hypocrism and lies do not change the fact that is a dangerous chemical that should not be used in the food chain .

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A ban on glyphosate would have meant grain grown using it could not enter Thailand, denying U.S. exporters of bulk crops - including soybeans and wheat - access to a market that, like others in Southeast Asia, has grown massively from 2015 to nearly $1 billion in value in 2019, U.S. data shows.

That's it , money talks in a corrupted country ...

Sadly , money counts much more than ( human ) life .

It not only endangers humans , it kills insects that are needed to fertilize the plants , too .

It is destructive to the whole ecosystem , well known , but still allowed because some people make a big profit from it .

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by nobodysfriend

[Grumpy John]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

The U.S. EPA ... has found that there are no risks to human health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label

 

But that in a nut shell is the problem - Thai farmers cannot read and so overdose i.e. Thai thinking more is better

The wife and I bought some Glysophate 48 last month and the instructions on the bottle all looked like Thai writting to me! 

[tracker1]

As most know big business and money go hand in hand when it comes to decision making ! Thailand isn't exempt all the way down to small business !

 

[Paul Henry]

MS Mananya stated she had attended many farmers funerals. I have spent many years working for an international chemical company and in this period spent time with Thai sales representatives calling on Thai farmers. The chemicals are not the primary problem most Thai farmers have no idea of application techniques.I have seen them spraying into the wind and the drift flowing back over them. when I spoke to them (via the local rep) they said it was good because the drift kept them cool. Application technology is non existent in Thai agriculture. The Thai Government should be held responsible for farmer (Lack of) education, as in most developed countries. Could anyone imagine if pharmaceutical chemicals were sold by people with no education in how to use medicines (yes I know it does happen in Thailand) but gradually becoming more strictly controlled. Agricultural chemicals are like a firearm in the right hands they are safe and will do the job the were purchased for.

[LukKrueng]

2 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

That's it , money talks in a corrupted country ...

Sadly , money counts much more than ( human ) life .

You're talking about the US of <deleted> A ????????, right? 

[ThaiFelix]

2 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

The wife and I bought some Glysophate 48 last month and the instructions on the bottle all looked like Thai writting to me! 

What JoePai is trying to point out is they cant read anything...... Thai, English, Swahili whatever.

[unblocktheplanet]

"All efforts should be focused on the PM" smells like money to me. Those greedy types don't give a hang for farmers' or public's health. Don't they realise there's way more profit to be made from organics?

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, JoePai said:

The U.S. EPA ... has found that there are no risks to human health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label

 

But that in a nut shell is the problem - Thai farmers cannot read and so overdose i.e. Thai thinking more is better

Consider the source [US EPA].

[Flying Saucage]

6 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

bayer is german, right ? operation paperclip 2 ?

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=who+glyphosate+carcinogen

 

In March 2015, IARC classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A).

Yes, Bayer is a German company, now lead by crazy carrierist and executive director Werner Baumann, who has now morals and ethics, but the ability to ruin this huge company. He was the driving force to take over Monsanto, which for many is the most evil company in the world. Almost everyone at Bayer was against this deal.

 

Amazing how such egocentric criminals again and again can kill big corporations. Bayer's big competitor Hoechst AG was destroyed by another such idiot around 20 years ago, Mr. Jürgen Dormann. Maybe also Linde AG will have a similar fate after Wolfgang Reizle took over as CEO.

[Jonnapat]

Utterly disgraceful but so predictable, unfortunately. 

[DB58]

9 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

The wife and I bought some Glysophate 48 last month and the instructions on the bottle all looked like Thai writting to me! 

I don’t doubt your statement, but wonder about how literate the Thai farmers are? And do they read the information... 

[unamazedloso]

So why are all my farming neighbors dropping dead from weird cancers? 

There is also proof it makes frogs gay! Wonder what it's doing to humans really...

Fact is I'm a farmer, don't use any chemcials and dont need them.

We used to have bees until the field next to us started planting sugarcane and spraying. They all died!

I haven't seen any concern for farmers health at all. I have had to take almost dead neighbours to hospital in the middle of the night because these people have no one that cares. Hospital staff admit these chemicals are most likely causing my neighbours cancers.

[asean]

Very unusual for Thailand to go with the science where the USA has not.... good for them