Argentina Lawsuit Challenges Monsanto

Federal Judge in Argentina Accepts Class Action Lawsuit Against Monsanto

Will Monsanto be able to bully itself to victory?
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Christina Sarich
by Christina Sarich
Posted on June 27, 2015

While Monsanto tries to dodge a class action lawsuit in California by requesting that it be dismissed by the court, a federal judge in Argentina has accepted a class action lawsuit that would force GMO labeling and provisionally suspend the cultivation of genetically modified crops.

The lawsuit targets Monsanto for causing a seed monopoly through mono-cultivation. It argues for a complete ban on GMOs and on:

“. . .the application of pesticides used for farming until their safety for the environment, ecosystems, biodiversity, the health of living beings, the cultural heritage of the Argentine people, and the sustainability of the production model is scientifically proven.”

Residents of the country of Argentina believe that the commercialization of seed through companies like Monsanto should be forbidden. The lawsuit is titled:

“Gimenez Alicia Fanny and others against the national government, Monsanto and others, over environmental damage.”

Monsanto is not the only party listed as a defendant. Also listed are:

  • The Argentine national government
  • The Federal Council for the Environment
  • A group of companies, including Monsanto, Syngenta, DuPont, Novartis, Nidera, Dow AgroSciences, Pioneer, Agrevo, Ciba Geigy, Argenbio, and Bayer Sciences

Monsanto is currently trying to remove their class action suit being filed by T. Matthew Phillips to federal court in order to “prohibit inconsistencies in ruling,” but they also want to have the class action suit dismissed.

Previously, more than 30,000 doctors and health professionals in Argentina asked that glyphosate be banned. The doctors are part of FESPROSA, Argentina’s Union of medical professionals.

FESPROSA explained:

“In our country glyphosate is applied on more than 28 million hectares. Each year, the soil is sprayed with more than 320 million litres, which means that 13 million people are at risk of being affected, according to the Physicians Network of Sprayed Peoples (RMPF). Soy is not the only crop addicted to glyphosate: the herbicide is also used for transgenic maize and other crops. Where glyphosate falls, only GMOs can grow. Everything else dies.”

The doctors also talk about vindicating one of their own:

Our trade union, the Federation of Health Professionals of Argentina (FESPROSA), which represents more than 30,000 doctors and health professionals in our country, includes the Social Health Collective of Andrés Carrasco. Andrés Carrasco was a researcher at [Argentine government research institute] CONICET, who died a year ago, and showed the damage caused by glyphosate to embryos. For disseminating his research, he was attacked by the industry and the authorities at CONICET. Today, WHO vindicates him.”

If the federal judge who reviews this case prior to the end of the month has any moral fiber, he will stand against Monsanto for a fair trial as Argentina has.

Argentine Capahue VOlcano Alert

Wordwide volcano activity – Argentine province of Neuquen at highest alert for a possible eruption of Copahue volcano

Last update: May 28, 2013 at 10:59 pm by By

Copahue volcano, Chile Update (May 28 – 22:42 UTC)

No change in activity
The Government of the Argentine province of Neuquén (Argentina side of the border) ordered by decree a “high alert” for the town of Caviahue and surrounding areas that could be affected by the possible eruption of Copahue, the government said. 800 people will be asked to evacuate at the Argentina side of the border. The evacuated people will be lodged in hotels at approx. 70 km from Caviahue.
The Argentina side of the border and more specifically Caviahue will probably get the big ash shower when Copahue would erupt ast Easterly winds are the main wind direction in the Andes.

The village of Caviahue, east of the Copahue volcano - Image courtesy a60

The village of Caviahue, east of the Copahue volcano – Image courtesy a60

Copahue volcano, Chile Update (May 28 – 16:00 UTC)

Webcam COPAHUE to follow the eventsSernageomin1
Nothing to see at the moment of writing because of very bad weather.
The evacuation of the 400 families living under treat of lahars (hot mud flows – in part generated by melting snow) and pyroclastic flows (extremely hot ash avalanches that burn everything on their way) is being effectuated orderly.
Nothing special going on so far and nothing serious expected as far as VAAC Buenos Aires is reporting. (NO VA EXP (text on map) is of course NO Volcanic Ash expected). This map is a precision of 19:30 UTC on May 28 (today).

from:    http://earthquake-report.com/2013/05/27/wordwide-volcano-activity-copahue-volcano-chile-alert-raised-to-red/

Argentina Earthquake

Strong earthquake in Argentina

Last update: February 22, 2013 at 6:39 pm by By
Due to the large depth of this strong earthquake, it was felt in a wide radius around the epicenter. USGS received felt reports from Brazil, more than 1000 km away. But the earthquake had everywhere luckily only a weak intensity, so that we do not expect any damage from this earthquake.

402 km N Córdoba (pop 1,428,214 ; local time 09:01:59.7 2013-02-22)
296 km SW Presidencia roque sáenz peña (pop 81,879 ; local time 09:01:59.7 2013-02-22)
109 km E Santiago del estero (pop 354,692 ; local time 09:01:59.7 2013-02-22)

Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : 6.1

Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2013-02-22 09:01:58

GMT/UTC Time : 2013-02-22 12:01:58

from:     http://earthquake-report.com/2013/02/22/very-strong-earthquake-santiago-del-estero-prov-argentina-on-february-22-2013/

Argentina 6.2 Earthquake

Very strong shallow earthquake in Argentina – San Pedro mayor speaks of “impressive shaking”

Last update: October 6, 2011 at 2:20 pm by By 

Update Interview from Cadena3 with the “intendente” of San Pedro de Jujuy Mr. Esteban Zamar. San Pedro de Jujuy is the second most populated city of the Jujuy province and is located approx. 60 km from the epicenter.
Click here for the interview (Spanish)
Most important in English
 Mr. Zamar is continuously thanking God that despite the intense shaking only light damage has been inflicted in San Pedro. He is thanking God too that nobody got hurt.

Update : People in the quake area have reported that the shaking lasted for about 10 seconds.

Update : The earthquake was also felt in Asuncion, Paraguay

Update What astonishes us more and more at Earthquake-Report.com is that NO-ONE talks about the villages at a few km from the epicenter but ONLY about the provincial capitals (big cities of course). Most of the attention should go the the people living in a radius of 20 km from the epicenter location, even more when such a shallow earthquake occurs.

Update : So far no traces of serious damage or injuries. Signs of broken windows in San Salvador de Jujuy.
Mobile networks were out of business for several minutes 
in Salta.

Update : The information in the local press can be called “minimal”. Even the San Salvador de Jujuy local press (closest to the epicenter) has only a couple of paragraphs citing the seismic data as the main content.

Update : People living in San Pedro have reported a MMI VI shaking (strong shaking). San Pedro is approx. 60 km from the epicenter. San Pedro has a population of 58,430 people!)

Update : Based on our CATDAT data from November 19, 1973 and the current data, earthquake-report.com expects a similar kind of damage and NO casualties.

Update James Daniell’s CATDAT reports : In November 19, 1973, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake produced damage in the town’s eastern provinces of Salta and Jujuy, especially in Santa Clara. No casualties. The estimated peak intensity reached VII degrees on the Modified Mercalli scale and had a magnitude Mb = 5.9 degrees on the Richter scale.
Besides this earthquake there have been many nearby earthquakes without major damage

to read more, and for the link to the interview, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/10/06/very-dangerous-and-very-strong-shallow-earthquake-in-argentina/