logo
Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Has Monsanto, the agribusiness controversial for its widely used herbicides, been banned in 15 locations?

By Christiana Dillard
NO

A social media post listing 14 countries and a region in Portugal claims "Monsanto" has been banned there and poses the question, "Why not here?"

In fact, the company no longer exists under the name "Monsanto" since it was acquired in 2018 by German-based Bayer, best known for its health care products.

A company spokesperson told Lead Stories, "Bayer is not banned in any country."

The company now produces Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide. Glyphosate has been deemed "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the World Health Organization, although according to the FDA, the chemical compound "has a low toxicity for people."

The Bayer spokesperson told Lead Stories: "There are a few countries that have implemented country-wide restrictions on glyphosate, but these restrictions are politically driven and are not based on any new science or regulatory risk assessment showing glyphosate is unsafe."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
FACT BRIEF BY
facebook
twitter
email
email