JRE 0 · June 15, 2023
Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up
Who is Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up?
Taken from JRE 1999 w/Robert Kennedy, Jr.:
Topics and Timestamps
- 01Robert Kennedy Jr. discusses his major lawsuit against Monsanto over Roundup herbicide and glyphosate exposure
- 02The conversation covers the scientific evidence linking Roundup to cancer and health problems
- 03Kennedy explains how corporate interests have influenced regulatory agencies and suppressed research
- 04Discussion of the legal strategy and challenges in taking on major agricultural corporations
- 05Kennedy addresses the broader issue of pesticide use in industrial agriculture and alternatives
- 06The episode explores how pharmaceutical and chemical industries prioritize profits over public health
- ▶Kennedy introduces the Monsanto lawsuit and Roundup cancer link0:00:00
- ▶Discussion of internal Monsanto documents and email evidence discovered in litigation0:15:30
- ▶Kennedy explains regulatory capture and EPA infiltration by Monsanto executives0:32:45
- ▶Conversation about the scientific evidence for glyphosate causing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma0:48:20
- ▶Kennedy discusses alternatives to chemical agriculture and regenerative farming practices1:05:00
The Show
In JRE 1999, Robert Kennedy Jr. sits down with Joe to break down his landmark lawsuit against Monsanto and the dangers of Roundup, one of the world's most widely used herbicides. Kennedy comes prepared with the kind of detailed, documented evidence that makes this conversation go way deeper than typical corporate criticism. He's not just throwing around allegations; he's talking about years of litigation, internal Monsanto documents, and scientific research that the company allegedly tried to bury.
The core issue is glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient. Kennedy explains how this chemical, which Monsanto claimed was safe for decades, has been linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other cancers. What makes this particularly infuriating to Kennedy is how the regulatory capture works. He details how Monsanto essentially ghostwrote safety studies, funded friendly research, and strategically placed former executives into positions at the EPA and other regulatory agencies. It's not conspiracy theory stuff either; these are documented facts from court cases and FOIA requests.
Kennedy walks through the lawsuit timeline and some of the jaw-dropping moments, including discovered emails where Monsanto executives discussed ways to undermine independent scientists and manage the narrative around Roundup's safety. The company knew the risks, Kennedy argues, and actively worked to suppress that information while maintaining a public facade of safety.
The conversation naturally expands into how this pattern repeats across the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Kennedy discusses how industrial agriculture became dependent on these herbicides, and how that dependency has grown despite mounting evidence of harm. He touches on alternatives, regenerative agriculture, and why those options don't get the same funding and promotion as chemical solutions.
Joe and Kennedy explore the downstream effects of widespread pesticide exposure in food and water supplies, and the regulatory failures that allowed this to happen. Kennedy emphasizes that this isn't about being anti-science; it's about actual science being ignored or manipulated by corporations with financial incentives to suppress findings that threaten their products.
Best Quotes
“Monsanto ghostwrote the safety studies that were supposed to be independent evaluations of their product”
— Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up
From the JRE 0 conversation with Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up.
“The regulatory agencies have been captured by the industries they're supposed to regulate”
— Joe Rogan
From the JRE 0 conversation with Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up.
“They knew it caused cancer and they spent millions of dollars trying to cover it up”
— Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up
From the JRE 0 conversation with Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up.
“Industrial agriculture became dependent on these chemicals in a way that benefited the corporations more than the farmers”
— Joe Rogan
From the JRE 0 conversation with Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up.
“This isn't anti-science, it's pro-science against corporate science manipulation”
— Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up
From the JRE 0 conversation with Robert Kennedy, Jr. On Suing Monsanto and The Dangers of Round-Up.
Mentioned in This Episode
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