Girl Scout cookies contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium and mercury at levels that often exceed regulators’ recommended limits, as well as concerning amounts of glyphosate herbicide, a new class action lawsuit alleges. The suit bases its allegations on a study commissioned by the GMOScience and Moms Across America non-profits that tested 25 cookies gathered from across three states, and found all contained at least four out of five of the heavy metals. Lead was found in all but one cookie, and all samples contained glyphosate. The lawsuit seeks $5m in damages and asks a New York state court to order Girl Scouts of America to affix a warning to the cookies. The heavy metals are especially dangerous for young children, and can cause brain damage and developmental issues. Glyphosate exposure is linked to liver inflammation, among other issues. [GMW: More about the study here.] The Guardian

 

 

Tennessee House members have punted to next year a controversial bill that sought to offer herbicide manufacturers — including the manufacturer of Roundup — protection from labelling-related lawsuits. Members of the House Judiciary Committee delayed House Bill 809 following hours of testimony from families impacted by cancer cases linked to chemical use. The bill is backed by German chemical giant Bayer. The Tennessean

 

 

Environmental attorney Dustin Kittle, who used to represent chemical companies in court, is interviewed on the pesticide industry's attempts to get legal immunity against lawsuits in Tennessee and other states. He says, "It's been proven in court – time and time again – that the chemical companies are responsible at least in part for high rates of cancer." He adds that these companies must not be held above the law. Dustin Kittle on X

 

 

In yesterday's Daily Digest and Daily News lists we featured Beyond GM's call for people and businesses to respond to DEFRA’s consultation on the Plant Varieties and Seeds Framework for Precision Bred Plant Varieties before the deadline of 14 April. Beyond GM's article is republished on the GMWatch site here. While we included a link to Beyond GM's guidance on how to respond, which in turn includes a link to the consultation, a reader has contacted us asking for the direct link to the consultation. It's here. Apologies for not including it earlier. 

 

 

The Indian government's decision to raise Bt cotton seed prices ahead of the Kharif (monsoon) season has drawn sharp criticism from experts and farmers, who pointed to declining yields and rising pink bollworm infestations in recent years. Critics alleged that the government approved the hike without assessing the seeds’ performance or consulting those most affected. Farmers have reported mounting losses and rising debts due to recurring pest attacks over the last several years. Cotton yields have steadily declined. DowntoEarth

 

 

Indian opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi says today the majority of India’s cotton is GMO Bt cotton — controlled by foreign corporations like Monsanto. He says the indigenous varieties are disappearing, water use is unsustainable, and farmers remain underpaid. Hence India needs to invest in indigenous cotton. Rahul Gandhi on Youtube

 

 

Indigenous cotton varieties once thrived in India, supporting a vast artisanal economy. Farmers, ginners, spinners and artisans existed in an interdependent chain. But centuries of colonial extraction and ecological displacement all but stamped out this economy, leaving India with a cotton industry that is now dominated by industrial-scale farming, monocultures and genetically modified crops. These developments came at a cost: declining soil health, increased pesticide reliance and a system that prioritises yield over resilience. Now, in grassroots initiatives, indigenous varieties of cotton, grown under organic systems, are being revived. Vogue Business

 

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