AGNET MARCH 15, 1999

Dupont and Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc. sign merger agreement
Dupont buys seed firm pioneer
Panel to discuss biotechnology challenges to American agriculture
Three-year freeze on `frankenstein' food crops
Secret deal will ban GM crops until 2002
Government under renewed pressure to ban GM crops
M&s bans GM food products after customer concerns
Germany to rely on science for gene crop approval
French environmentalists want longer gene crop ban
Monsanto - handled with CARE? Or, CARE - handled by Monsanto?
Pesticides may harm brain, study says


Agnet is produced by researchers at the Agri-Food Risk Management and
Communications Project at the University of Guelph, is edited by Douglas
Powell (dpowell@uoguelph.ca), Sarah Grant (segrant@uoguelph.ca) and Amanda
Whitfield (awhitfie@uoguelph.ca), and is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Plants Program at the University of
Guelph, with additional support provided by the U.S. National Pork
Producers, the U.S. National Food Processors Association, Novartis Seeds,
Dairy Farmers of Canada, AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned About
Resources and the Environment), Monsanto Canada, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited
(Canada), the U.S. National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Ontario
Agri-Food Technologies, Novartis Crop Protection Canada, Dairy Farmers of
Ontario, the Rutgers University Food Safety Extension Program, the Crop
Protection Institute, Eastern Region Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
Ag-West Biotech, Capital Health, the Ontario Soybean Growers Marketing
Board, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, Food Industry Environmental
Network, Dow AgroSciences, W.G. Thompson & Sons, Crop and Food Research
New Zealand, and the Agricultural Adaptation Council (CanAdapt Program).

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DUPONT AND PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL, INC. SIGN MERGER AGREEMENT
March 15, 1999
from a press release
WILMINGTON, Del. and DES MOINES, Iowa -- DuPont (NYSE: DD) and Pioneer
Hi-Bred International, Inc. (NYSE: PHB) today announced that they have
signed a definitive agreement for a stock and cash merger that will result
in DuPont's complete ownership of Pioneer.  This transaction is another
major step in DuPont's life sciences strategy and will strengthen and
accelerate its capability to discover, develop and commercialize a new
generation of products across the value chains for food and feed crops,
food ingredients, industrial applications and nutrition science.  DuPont
currently has a 20 percent equity interest in Pioneer.
Under the terms of the agreement, Pioneer shareholders will receive $40
per share, with 45 percent of the shares receiving cash and 55 percent of
the shares receiving DuPont stock.  Pioneer shareholders will have certain
rights to elect which form of consideration they receive.  The merger is
expected to close during the summer of 1999.  The total equity value of
the transaction is estimated to be approximately $7.7 billion for the 80
percent of Pioneer not currently owned by DuPont.
The boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction.
"This transaction will further enhance an already outstanding technology
platform and marketing capability, while giving us greater ability to
speed new products to market and deliver value across the agriculture and
nutrition industries," said Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont chairman and
chief executive officer.  "Our excellent relationship with Pioneer has
grown even stronger during the last 18 months, enabling us to create
further synergies by totally integrating DuPont's biology, chemistry and
genomics with Pioneer's leading market position and research and
development capabilities.  The end result should be significantly
increased shareholder value."
Holliday added, "Both companies are customer focused with compatible
cultures and values.  By bringing together DuPont's ag businesses and
Pioneer's seed business, we are creating an agricultural enterprise with
$5 billion in annual sales, which will be focused on growth."
"Crop genetics offers tremendous potential for meeting the needs of
farmers, agriculture and consumers around the world," said Charles S.
Johnson, who will continue to lead Pioneer as chairman, president and
chief executive officer.  "Bringing the talents and resources of our two
companies more closely together will ensure we deliver that potential to
the market and do it quickly."
The transaction will increase DuPont's ability to create output trait
offerings based on its own products or on complementary licensed products.
It also will increase the speed to market of these products and will
strengthen DuPont's custom offering to food companies.  Longer range,
DuPont's and Pioneer's combined R&D capabilities in biotechnology will
create a stronger scientific platform on which to build biomaterials
opportunities.
Pioneer is the world's largest seed company, the most recognized seed
brand in the world, and a leader in North America and other key markets.
Its strength rests on the quality of its proprietary germ plasm, as well
as a highly respected brand franchise and integrated product and
distribution systems.  Pioneer introduced 37 new corn hybrids in 1998 and
has introduced 60 new hybrids this year, including high-oil, herbicide and
insect-resistant products.
As a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, Pioneer will continue to do
business under the Pioneer name and will remain headquartered in Des
Moines, Iowa.  It has 5,000 employees worldwide.  In the year 2000, the
first full year of combined operations, DuPont expects dilution in cash
earnings per share of about 1 percent.  Fully diluted earnings per share
will be reduced by about 7 percent.
Last week DuPont announced two strategic efforts to aggressively and
rapidly build its life sciences portfolio.  First, the company said that
it is actively seeking alliances with other strong partners in the
pharmaceuticals industry to bring DuPont Pharmaceuticals to critical mass
through strategic alliances.  Additionally, the company said its board has
authorized actions toward the creation and issuance of a "tracking" stock
for its life sciences businesses to give DuPont the financial flexibility
to more advantageously participate in industry consolidation trends and
expand the portfolio.
In September 1997, DuPont and Pioneer formed a research alliance and in
January 1998, a separate joint venture companyQOptimum Quality Grains,
L.L.C.  DuPont also invested $1.7 billion in Pioneer to acquire a 20
percent equity interest.  DuPont's total investment, including the value
of today's transaction, will be approximately $9.4 billion.  It currently
holds two of the 14 seats on Pioneer's board of directors.
Credit Suisse First Boston and Salomon Smith Barney acted as financial
advisors to DuPont and Lazard Freres & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor
to Pioneer.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom LLP acted as legal counsel for
DuPont and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver, and Jacobson acted as legal
counsel for Pioneer.
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (NYSE: PHB) is the world's leading
supplier of agricultural genetics and is the leading developer and
integrator of agricultural technology.  Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa,
Pioneer develops, produces, and markets a full line of seeds, forage and
grain additives and services to grain and livestock producers, grain
processors and other customers worldwide.
Founded in 1802, DuPont is a global science and technology-based company.
DuPont serves worldwide markets including food and nutrition; health care;
agriculture; fashion and apparel; home and construction; electronics; and
transportation.  The company operates in more than 70 countries and has
92,000 employees.



DUPONT BUYS SEED FIRM PIONEER
March 15, 1999
Reuters/ UPI/ Dow Jones News/
WILMINGTON, Del. -- Wire coverage of the proposed merger notes that the
deal is valued at $7.7 billion and gives Dupont the remaining 80 percent
of Pioneer that it does not already own. DuPont had purchased a 20 percent
stake in Pioneer in 1997.
Pioneer shares rose $9.19 in New York Stock Exchange trading Friday to
close at $34.31. DuPont shares closed at $57.75.
The agreement, which is subject to regulatory approvals, represents an 80%
premium above where Pioneer shares were trading early last week, before
speculation about a possible DuPont bid ignited the price of Pioneer
stock.
DuPont's total investment in Pioneer, including the latest transaction,
will be about $9.4 billion.
Pioneer will keep its headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, and will be a
wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont. Charles Johnson will continue as
Pioneer's chairman, president and chief executive.
The Dow Jones story was cited as saying seeds are important to DuPont
because they connect biotech labs to farmers; they are the delivery
mechanism for the genes DuPont scientists are manipulating. Pioneer is the
biggest biotech bridge around: It controls 42% of the North American
market for seed to grow hybrid corn, the biggest U.S. crop, and it
controls 16% of the seed used to grow soybeans, the second-biggest U.S.
crop.
Before this latest move, DuPont had spent about $6 billion over the past
two years to build a "life-sciences" business that will use biotechnology
to develop new crops and drugs. The pieces DuPont has acquired so far
include a pharmaceutical operation, a crop processor and the 20% Pioneer
stake in 1997.
To keep its war chest for acquisitions brimming, DuPont Chief Executive
Officer Charles O. Holliday has raised funds by shedding the company's
Conoco Inc. oil unit and last week unveiled plans to issue a new stock
that will track its life-sciences business.
Pioneer's agreement to be acquired represents a big cultural change for
the 73-year-old company, which was founded by one-time U.S. Vice President
Henry A. Wallace to exploit that era's revolution in agricultural genetics
hybridization, a breeding technique that greatly increased the
productivity of crops such as corn.
Pioneer management and descendants of the founding families had long
professed their desire to keep the company independent. Indeed, DuPont's
original investment in Pioneer came attached with a 16-year agreement that
prevented DuPont from buying more without Pioneer's approval.
But Pioneer had grown increasingly uneasy about Monsanto's attempts to
attract the eye of DuPont. Monsanto is looking for a like-minded merger
partner because the debts piled up from an $8 billion biotechnology buying
spree is making it hard for Monsanto to go it alone.
Industry officials were cited as saying Pioneer executives couldn't afford
to see DuPont run off with someone else. That would deny Pioneer access to
valuable DuPont genes as well as DuPont's deep pockets.




PANEL TO DISCUSS BIOTECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES TO AMERICAN AGRICULTURE
March 15, 1999
IFT Daily News
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman will host a panel discussion on
ABiotechnology Challenges Facing American Agriculture
in the 21st Century,@ on March 19 at 11:30 a.m. in USDA's Jefferson
Auditorium in Washington, D.C. Those wishing to attend
the free discussion should reserve seats by calling 202-720-4197. Others
on the panel are Eileen Kennedy, USDA Deputy
Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics; Ralph Hardy,
President, National Agricultural Biotechnology Council;
Margaret Mellon, Director, Agriculture and Biotechnology Program, Union of
Concerned Scientists; and Terry Medley, Vice
President of Biotechnology, Regulatory and External Affairs, DuPont
Nutrition and Health.



THREE-YEAR FREEZE ON `FRANKENSTEIN' FOOD CROPS
March 15, 1999
PA News
A temporary halt to the growing of genetically modified crops appeared
closer today after U.K. ministers welcomed plans for a three-year
voluntary ban on new plantings of so-called Frankenstein foods.
Science Minister Lord SainsburyQalready embroiled in controversy over his
links with the GM industryQwas cited as backing plans emerging from the
industry for a three-year freeze on new plantations.
Such a move would enable the Government to maintain its line that the
current safety regime is sufficient, while in practice bowing to the
rising fears of consumer groups and some scientists.
Lord Sainsbury was quoted as saying, "Obviously the prime requirement is
safety and the impact on the environment. If this voluntary arrangement
gives even more time before commercial planting, so there's more time to
assess the environmental impact, that has to be good, I think."
Downing Street last night rejected claims of a "secret deal" between
ministers and the industry, saying: "Any ban would be a matter for the
companies themselves."
Tony Blair has rejected calls for a three-year ban to enable further
research to be done into the possible health impact of GM foods.
His stance is in spite of a call from the Government's wildlife watchdog
English Nature, for just such a ban.



SECRET DEAL WILL BAN GM CROPS UNTIL 2002
March 14, 1999
The UK Independent
Marie Woolf,
Political Correspondent
Genetically modified crops are to be banned for three years under a
landmark deal being secretly negotiated between the Government and
biotechnology companies. After weeks of confidential talks, ministers are
poised to announce a breakthrough. Seed companies will agree to a
voluntary freeze on growing GM crops in Britain until at least the year
2002.
The deal, expected to be announced within the next three weeks, will mark
a victory for campaigners, including the Independent on Sunday, who have
called on the Government to delay planting GM crops in Britain until there
have been more tests on their environmental effects. The new freeze will
allow scientists to examine the effect of growing GM crops on other
plants, birds and animals.
Government sources say that Prime Minister Tony Blair, who believes in the
benefits of GM crops and has backed them publicly, is in favour of a
freeze if it is agreed voluntarily by the agro-chemical companies. "This
is a matter for the industry," said an aide to the Prime Minister.
Agriculture and environment ministers have also backed the negotiations
between senior civil servants and companies such as Novartis, Zeneca and
Monsanto. Ministers have been kept closely informed of progress in the
talks, which began six weeks ago.
The Government, worried by the backlash against GM food demonstrated in an
NOP opinion poll in the Independent on Sunday showing widespread consumer
concern, is keen to be seen to be taking action on the issue but believes
that the biotechnology industry must take the decision itself.
It has ruled out banning the commercial planting of GM crops for fear of
provoking a further trade row with the US, which has considerable
commercial interests in the new technology.
Last year, ministers negotiated a one-year moratorium on planting GM crops
commercially in the UK, but this will run out in 2000. Government sources
close to the negotiations said that biotechnology companies such as
Novartis, which has backed consumer calls for clearer labelling of GM food
sold in UK shops, have been "helpful".
But Monsanto, the American agro-chemical giant most closely associated
with genetic engineering, is said by government sources to be "dragging
its feet".
The industry body representing biotechnology companies and plant breeders
believes that "any delay on the commercial production of GM crops in the
UK would be unscientific and unjustified". A possible shortage of GM seed
may be one of the reasons the agro-chemical companies will agree to the
extended moratorium.
English Nature, the Government's official adviser on wildlife, has called
for a freeze on commercially growing GM Crops for three years until more
data is available.



GOVERNMENT UNDER RENEWED PRESSURE TO BAN GM CROPS
March 15, 1999
PA News
Chris Moncrieff,
PA News
The UK Government is facing renewed calls for a moratorium on genetically
modified food after admissions that the protection of the environment from
GM crops was insufficient, the story says. Liberal Democrat environment
spokesman Norman Baker demanded the move after Countryside Minister
Michael Meacher said in a written Commons reply ministers had been active
in their support for a revision of the relevant EU directive to ensure
full protection for human health and the environment. According to Mr
Meacher, the European Commission wants the directive amended and
strengthened on environmental risk assessment, monitoring and better
labelling requirements.
Mr Baker, MP for Lewes, said afterwards: "The Government has today
admitted that the protection of the environment from GM crops is
insufficient and that we need to have an urgent review of the directive.
The Government cannot argue there is a threat to the environment and then
do nothing about it."
The story continues by saying that Junior agriculture minister Lord
Donoughue disclosed regulating the commercial production of GM food would
cost the taxpayer  5 million this year, including  3.7 million on
research. He also said, in a Lords written reply, the spending would
"underpin the regulatory framework". Donoughue added that 74 people were
working on policy development, research co-ordination and regulatory
functions related to GM food.



M&S BANS GM FOOD PRODUCTS AFTER CUSTOMER CONCERNS
March 15, 1999
PA News
Alison Little and Dominic Hayes,
PA News
Marks and Spencer was cited as announcing the removal today of all
genetically modified foods from its shelves, as a temporary halt to the
growing of GM crops appeared closer. The UK Government is reportedly
insisting that there has been no "secret deal" with industry to secure a
three-year ban on new plantings of GM crops.
A Marks and Spencer spokesman was quoted as saying, "Although we believe
there is a place for genetic modification, customers are concerned about
the speed at which these developments are being pushed through." According
to the authors, M&S will continue to monitor developments in GM technology
"and will consider any opportunities which bring direct benefit to our
customers".
The company has set up a customer helpline on the issue. The number is:
0800 389 4367.
Pete Riley, of Friends of the Earth, welcomed the decision: "This is
excellent news and an important victory for consumer power. We
congratulate M&S for having the courage to listen to the public mood and
ban GM food. It will now be impossible for stores like Sainsbury's and
Tesco to continue to ignore their customers on this vital issue."
Environment Minister Michael Meacher conceded its tone might appear to
have modified, and told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "There is no
secret deal between the Government and the industry. We have always said
that before the full-scale commercialised growing of GM crops takes place
in this country we would need to be sure that they don't harm the
environment."
The story goes on to say the Government was negotiating with biotechnology
companies involved in GM crops on how "farm scale trials should be
conducted". As well, Adrian Bebb, food campaigner for Friends of the
Earth, believes a three-year ban would not allow proper assessment, and
that it should be five years. Bebb added: "We are also calling on the
Government to massively reduce the number of trial sites taking place
throughout the country. There were more than 300 last year. We think many
of the trial sites were for commercial purposes, looking at areas such as
yields."
Liberal Democrat spokesman Norman Baker was also quoted: "If this
moratorium is confirmed it will be welcome, but the small print of any
voluntary agreement must be tight enough to prevent abuse by the
companies."



GERMANY TO RELY ON SCIENCE FOR GENE CROP APPROVAL
March 15, 1999
Reuters
HAMBURG -- Today, Germany's agriculture ministry was cited as saying the
licencing of genetically modified (GM) crops for plantings in the European
Union was entirely up to the scientific and legal bodies in place, adding
that, "Detailed assessment of new GM crops under the existing law is
paramount in order to protect consumers and reach fail safe decisions on
their safety. This takes priority over any premature approvals to the
benefit of the industry or importers." But, the story says, the government
has reportedly seen no reason to change the obligatory procedure for any
GM crop licencing -- certification of safety by the Berlin-based
Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI) and approval by the licencing authority
Bundessortenamt (BSA) in Hanover.
A spokesman at life sciences company AgrEvo in Frankfurt was cited as
saying that even without political interference in Britain, EU
biotechnology firms had been exposed to a "de facto moratorium for the
last 12 months."
The EU licencing system for new GM crops had more or less collapsed, with
France blocking progress and Britain opposing products with genes modified
to resist antibiotics.
The story goes on to cite a spokeswoman at the German headquarters of
environmental lobby Greenpeace: Germany's public was hostile to GM foods
and authorities would be well advised to join those in other EU countries
in their opposition to GM crop approval.
Christiane Toussaint, scientific adviser at food industry institute BLL in
Bonn, said the GM crop debate in Germany would be carried out more
rationally than in other EU states because industry and consumer groups
had been discussing this longer. She was cited as saying: "We have a head
start in dealing with public concerns," she said. "But this does not make
GM crop licencing any easier once the discussion becomes purely
political."



FRENCH ENVIRONMENTALISTS WANT LONGER GENE CROP BAN
March 15, 1999
Reuters
PARIS -- France is also calling for a longer, broader moratorium so wider
tests on genetically engineered crops may be carried out. A campaigner,
Etienne Vernet at Ecoropa said: "This is a sign of encouragement which
should push the French government to reconsider the risks from gene
modified foods,"
"We want a moratorium on all types of GM food for three to five years so
we can do more tests. If Britain did impose a three year freeze, France
should do the same thing."
Greenpeace France Director Bruno Rebelle also backed a freeze on GM crops
until at least 2002 and more rigorous tests.
According to the story, France imposed a two-year freeze on genetically
engineered oilseed varieties last July after concerns the modifications
could be transmitted to other crops. In December the high court upheld a
freeze on three strains of gene-modified maize seeds while the case goes
to the European court of justice.
The story continues by citing GM campaign coordinator, Stephen Kerckhove
at environmental group Agir pour l'Environment, as saying: "Lots of
countries are starting to challenge (GM foods). The consumer is starting
to bring more and more to this debate."
Nobody was available for comment at France's environment ministry, but an
agriculture ministry spokeswoman said a freeze in Britain would not
influence France's position on GM crops, the story says.
But the environmentalists, who work closely with counterparts in other
European countries, said opposition to GM foods was growing across Europe
and urged environment ministers to broach the debate together.




MONSANTO - HANDLED WITH CARE? OR, CARE - HANDLED BY MONSANTO? MAJOR U.S.
RELIEF AGENCY HOLDS TALKS WITH TROUBLED AGBIOTECH MULTINATIONAL - WHO'S
HELPING WHO?
March 9, 1999
Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) News Release
http://www.rafi.org
CARE, the high-profile U.S. food aid non-profit, is holding talks today
with Monsanto Corporation at the company's world headquarters in St.
Louis, Missouri (US). According to information received by RAFI,
Monsanto's CEO Robert Shapiro contacted CARE's President, Peter Bell,
inviting CARE officials to discuss ways in which Monsanto may be able to
use its technologies for the benefit of food security in the South.
Whether this is an attempt to resurrect Monsanto's scheme to provide
micro-credit ("soft") loans to Third World farmers in order to market its
proprietary pesticides and genetically-modified seeds remains to be seen.
Monsanto is one of the world's leading Gene Giants - dominant in both crop
chemicals and seeds. The company's best known product, Roundup
(glyphosate), is the world's top selling herbicide and a multi-billion
dollar profit engine for Monsanto. The company's patents on Roundup are
expiring, however, and Monsanto is looking for new ways to maintain its
market share and to advance sales of its controversial transgenic
(genetically-modified) soybean, maize, cotton, and potato varieties. Using
genetic engineering, Monsanto has bred seeds that tolerate Roundup
spraying. It is estimated that the contentious market strategy has won
Monsanto at least 85% of the booming U.S. transgenic seed market, and
experts suggest, a similar share of the global transgenic market.
* Cash 'n CARE? In June 1998, Monsanto announced that it would develop a
special microcredit programme with the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh that
would have made it financially feasible for cash-starved farmers to take
out loans to buy Monsanto's advanced technology products. The Grameen Bank
has won international accolades for its championing of credit programmes
to rural women who would not normally be seen as credit-worthy by
conventional banks. Within a month of the Monsanto-Grameen announcement,
however, the Bangladeshi institution cancelled the deal bowing to intense
public pressure within South Asia and around the world.
* Once More with Feeling? "At the time, we heard rumours that CARE and
possibly some other development aid agencies were discussing similar deals
with Monsanto" Pat Mooney, RAFI's executive director says, "but we were
told that CARE backed away from the table when Grameen threw in the
towel.""Now we are informed that an international team of CARE officials
from their New York office, but also from some of their major regional
offices, have gone to St. Louis to discuss a major initiative with
Monsanto," Mooney adds, "This could be a real problem."
GMO's in Every Pot? Last year, more than 27.8 million hectares of farmland
around the world was sown to genetically modified crops. Seventy seven
percent of this land was sown to transgenic seeds designed to tolerate
herbicide spraying. While the biggest market for biotech seed is in the
USA and Canada, South countries such as Argentina, Mexico, South Africa,
and China have also adopted the controversial seeds. Trials of Monsanto's
transgenic seeds in India have led to mass demonstrations and intense
debate in the media and in government. Similar debates are underway in
Brazil. In Europe, environmentalists, farmers, and consumers have joined
together to oppose the use of transgenic seeds.
* GMO's Handled by CARE? Blocked in Europe, is Monsanto trying to use
well-known aid agencies to win acceptance for its GMOs among farmers and
consumers in the South? "Monsanto officials genuinely believe they have
products that will solve the problem of food shortages in the next
century," Hope Shand of RAFI says. "The company may not be acting
cynically. They believe they can make money and solve hunger through GMOs
at the same time," Shand explains, "If the meeting with CARE is to use the
food aid agency to test and distribute their genetically-altered seeds
among poor farmers, both CARE and Monsanto are making a terrible
mistake."What exactly the goal is for the St. Louis talks? Are they to
establish soft loan programmes tied to Monsanto products, or to use CARE's
field offices to facilitate trials of genetically-engineered
herbicide-tolerant seeds? "Either way," Pat Mooney concludes, "neither
party has the credibility to pull this venture off. CARE will be lambasted
for jeopardizing the food security of farmers and Monsanto will be accused
of using CARE as 'cheap labour' for its commercial goals. Whatever their
intent, this indeed will be the result. I've talked with CARE negotiators
in New York and I'm hopeful that they understand the issues and will not
let their good name be used to pressure farmers into adopting Monsanto's
unsustainable approach to agriculture."
CARE Bears? Monsanto is transforming itself from being a traditional
chemical company into a dominant player in the Life Industry. In recent
years, Monsanto has spent more than $8.5 billion in acquiring seed
companies across the world. Many market analyst believe however, that
Monsanto has over-extended itself and is now weighed under by a huge debt
burden. In the midst of the world's longest running bull market, Monsanto
is on some investor's bear lists. Last year, Monsanto announced that it
would merge with American Home Products - another chemicals-turned-biotech
corporation more than twice Monsanto's size. The deal was eventually
called off. Last week, the New York Times reported that Monsanto was
holding preliminary discussions with DuPont - a vastly larger
multinational now attempting to extricate itself from energy subsidiaries
in order to buy into the Life Industry. The message to many investors is
that Monsanto is a company in trouble and looking for allies.



PESTICIDES MAY HARM BRAIN, STUDY SAYS
HEALTH: FETUSES AND YOUNG CHILDREN IN FARM AREAS ARE AT HIGHEST RISK,
RESEARCH SUGGESTS, WITH INTELLIGENCE, MOTOR SKILLS AND PERSONALITIES
AFFECTED
March 15, 1999
The Los Angeles Times
MARLA CONE,
Times Environmental Writer
Wayne Porter, a University of Wisconsin professor of zoology and
environmental toxicology, was cited as reporting in a paper published
today in the journal Toxicology and Industrial Health that a common mix of
insecticide, herbicide and fertilizer found in drinking water altered the
thyroid hormones of young mice and changed their aggressivenessQmeasured
by attacks on other miceQand suppressed their immune systems.
The story says that although a study of mice alone is not overly
compelling, the theory is bolstered by recent research on human beings.
In tests in the state of Sonora, Mexico, scientists found striking
differences in hand-eye coordination and other mental and physical skills
when comparing Yaqui Indian preschoolers in an agrarian region with those
in adjacent foothills where no pesticides are used.
Four- and 5-year-olds living in the farm valley had trouble performing a
variety of simple motor skillsQdrawing stick figures, catching a 12-inch
ball from almost four yards away and a tennis ball from more than a yard
away, and dropping raisins into a bottle cap from a distance of six
inches.
They also had poorer memory skills and stamina, were more prone to
physical aggression and angry outbursts, and were less sociable and
creative while playing. The story says that farm and household
pest-killers are widely used there, and high levels of multiple pesticides
have been found in the cord blood of newborns and the breast milk of
mothers in the area.
Another study, in rural western Minnesota, found increased birth defects
in children conceived during the spring growing season.
Most of the new research detects problems in agricultural
communitiesQplaces found not just in rural regions but also in more
urbanized areas, including Southern California. No one knows yet what it
might mean for people who consume small traces of the chemicals in their
food. Earlier this month, Consumers Union reported that many fruits and
vegetables contain concentrations of pesticides that may be unhealthful
for children.
The new hormone studies add to a growing body of research from around the
world suggesting that dozens of commonly used pesticides and other
chemicals mimic the hormones that control sexual and neurological
development.
Called endocrine disruption, this is arguably the most controversial
environmental issue of the past decade.
Scientists were cited as saying the study and other recent research
support an emerging theory that pesticides may exact a toll on the
intelligence, motor skills and personalities of infants, toddlers and
preschoolers.
Porter's study was quoted as saying, "Data suggest that we may be raising
a generation of children with learning disabilities and hyper-aggression."
John McCarthy, vice president of a group representing pesticide
manufacturers, the American Crop Protection Assn. was quoted as saying,
"I'm kind of dubious that low-level exposures to chemicals are raising all
kinds of havoc with the endocrine system. The human system has so many
protective mechanisms, and our bodies are bombarded with all kinds of
things."
Still, he said, the industry is highly concerned about the findings
suggesting neurological damage, and would like to see a comprehensive
review to evaluate all existing studies and figure out what they
collectively show, adding, "We ought to be taking a very hard look at it.
There's almost a study a week of one type or another, and it's hard to see
how it all fits together. We have to take some time to say, 'OK, what does
this all mean? Is this something that should require some abrupt change
[in pesticides] or
fine-tuning or more research?' "
The story adds that no one knows how many pesticides out of 77,000 used in
the United States might alter sex or thyroid hormones.
Questions abound: How do the contaminants disrupt thyroid levels? What
does that physically do to the brain?  What dose of exposure does it take?
Does the human body have some defense mechanism to fend off low levels of
hormones? What do mixes of various man-made and natural hormones do to
people?
Some scientists suspect that the damage is passed from a mother to her
unborn child early in the first trimester, before most women even know
they are pregnant.
Thyroid hormones guide the nerve cells that dictate how the brain of a
fetus develops and the number of brain cells created. One theory is that
if a mother receives a dose of pesticides during this critical phase, it
can interfere with her thyroid levelsQsometimes raising them, sometimes
lowering themQirreversibly altering the child's nervous system.
How the child's brain circuitry develops determines his or her hand-eye
coordination, motor skills and learning ability.
Thyroid hormones also can change behaviorQan excess can make people quick
to anger, while a low count could have the opposite effect. The hormones
also can alter steroids that control aggression and immune systems.
Dr. Harley Kornblum, a pediatric neurologist at the UCLA Medical Center
was quooted as saying, "Thyroid hormones are important to brain
development, and that's been known for a long time," but, the story adds,
he and other neurologists say, it's debatable how important the mother's
thyroid level is to the fetus, and it's even more uncertain what role
environmental contaminants may play.
Porter said children up to age 8 who have developing brains and immune
systems are "especially vulnerable" to changes in thyroid hormones.
The story goes on to note that some scientists remain dubious of the
results because the tests on the children were unusual, and are
intrinsically subjective and difficult to interpret.
Dr. Richard Jackson, director of the National Center for Environmental
Health at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was
quoted as saying his staff was "unimpressed by the scientific rigor" of
the work in the report and that although the differences between the two
populations of children seem striking, other hidden factors, rather than
pesticide exposure, cannot be ruled out.
In Porter's 5-year study of mice, the animals drank water containing a
mixture of two pesticidesQaldicarb and atrazineQand nitrates from
fertilizer.
The concentrations ingested by the mice were similar to those found in
ground water in many agricultural areas, Porter said. Aldicarb, atrazine
and nitrates are the three most abundant agricultural contaminants in the
United States, although they do not rank high in use in California.
While the mix of the three chemicals altered the mice hormones, each one
alone did not. That points out a gaping hole in the federal effort to
protect consumersQthe EPA only tests for effects of pesticides
individually, not cumulatively.
The EPA tests, Porter said, "generate a great deal of false confidence in
the safety" of pesticides.








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