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HONOLULU (AP) – Monsanto Company pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally using and storing agricultural chemicals in Hawaii and will pay fines of $ 12 million.
Monsanto, now owned by the German pharmaceutical company Bayer, pleaded guilty in December. U.S. District Court judge Michael Seabright in Hawaii accepted the terms Thursday.
Monsanto was charged with 30 environmental crimes after allowing workers to enter corn fields on Oahu in 2020 after a product called Forfeit 280 was sprayed. Federal law prohibits people from entering areas where the chemical is being sprayed within six days of application.
Monsanto has been given three years probation in addition to the fines and will continue an “environmental compliance program” monitored by an external auditor.
The company also pleaded guilty to two crimes related to the storage of a banned chemical on Maui and Molokai.
“The company has repeatedly violated laws related to highly regulated chemicals and exposed people to pesticides that can cause serious health problems,” said US attorney Tracy Wilkison after the closing of the plea deal.
Monsanto said no negative health effects were reported.
“The conduct at issue in the agreement is unacceptable, contrary to the company’s values ​​and policies, and we sincerely regret it,” said Darren Wallis, Monsanto’s vice president of communications, in a statement.
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