The New Dark Age

In a September 8, 2026 meeting, the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA’s) Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) concluded that glyphosate does not warrant a classification for carcinogenicity, even after reviewing new data from the Ramazzini Institute. ECHA’s conclusion reiterates the findings of RAC’s 2022 hazard assessment for the controversial herbicide. [GMW: The Ramazzini study found that low doses of glyphosate and Roundup cause multiple types of cancer in rats. We look forward to reading ECHA’s creative excuses for dismissing these findings when its opinion is published.] Food Safety Magazine

Soon, Bayer’s AI-engineered bacteria and viruses may be released into Europe’s environment for the first time ever — and EU governments are ready to roll out the red carpet for these greedy and reckless companies looking to profit from experimenting with our health and safety. Once out, there will be no way of controlling them: they can reproduce – some within minutes – and adapt. There is no off-switch in case things go wrong. And things can go VERY wrong. The good news: Europe has some of the most progressive laws on GMOs, and genetically engineered bacteria and viruses have not been allowed for sale yet. We can keep it that way. We have a narrow but crucial window of opportunity: in just a few days, the European ministers will vote on whether to lift the safety rules hated by Bayer and Co. Sign the petition to keep genetically engineered bacteria and viruses out of Europe! (You can sign even if you are in an non-EU country.) Eko

The US Department of Agriculture has just approved the release of a genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) American chestnut tree into the wild. If other US government departments agree and these GE trees are planted in US forests, they could spread across the border, threatening the future of endangered wild American chestnut trees in Canada and important chestnut conservation work. The GE tree was developed by scientists at a US university who say they will also ask the Canadian government to approve planting this GE tree in Canadian forests. Use the form provided to send your instant letter asking the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada to stop any approvals of GE forest trees in Canada! CBAN

Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris has denied Monsanto’s motion for summary judgment in Marvin “Kent” Shull’s Roundup lawsuit. Harris found the US Supreme Court’s Monsanto v. Durnell ruling addressed failure-to-warn claims and did not extend to Shull’s design defect and negligence claims. The court also rejected Monsanto’s implied-preemption argument and allowed Shull to amend his petition. Harris declined to strike Shull’s punitive damages claim, finding he had presented evidence that could support punitive damages. Shull, in his initial suit against Monsanto, brought strict liability design defect, strict liability failure to warn, negligence and fraud claims, alleging his use of Roundup for 30 years caused his cancer. Missouri Lawyers Media

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