It's the pesticide on our dinner plates, a chemical so pervasive it’s
in the air we breathe, our water, our soil, and even found
increasingly in our own bodies. Known as Monsanto's Roundup by
consumers, and as glyphosate by scientists, the world's most popular
weed killer is used everywhere from backyard gardens to golf courses
to millions of acres of farmland. For decades it's been touted as
safe enough to drink, but a growing body of evidence indicates just
the opposite, with research tying the chemical to cancers and a host
of other health threats.
In Whitewash,
veteran journalist Carey Gillam uncovers one of the most
controversial stories in the history of food and agriculture,
exposing new evidence of corporate influence. Gillam introduces
readers to farm families devastated by cancers which they believe are
caused by the chemical, and to scientists whose reputations have been
smeared for publishing research that contradicted business interests.
Readers learn about the arm twisting of regulators who signed off on
the chemical, echoing company assurances of safety even as they
permitted higher residues of the pesticide in food and skipped
compliance tests. And, in startling detail, Gillam reveals secret
industry communications that pull back the curtain on corporate
efforts to manipulate public perception.
Whitewash is
more than an exposé about the hazards of one chemical or even the
influence of one company. It's a story of power, politics, and the
deadly consequences of putting corporate interests ahead of public
safety.