USA: RSF condemns the agrochemical industry’s shameful practice of profiling and slandering environmental journalists

Organisation:  RSF_en

Following the release of the investigative report “Bonus Eventus Files” on September 27 by several international media outlets, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the collection and misuse of environmental journalists’ personal information to fuel slander campaigns orchestrated by the agrochemical industry. RSF calls on the authorities to swiftly open a judicial inquiry into these scandalous practices, carried out by an American company.

“They tried to discredit me by spreading lies about my work and putting pressure on my editors. This had real consequences on my career, even leading to the cancellation of conferences where I had been invited to speak,” American investigative journalist Carey Gillam told RSF. Gillam, who has written numerous articles and books on the agrochemical industry, particularly for The Guardian and The New York Times, has been the target of false accusations. She is among the media professionals victimised by the private platform Bonus Eventus, which seeks to influence the public debate on pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

As revealed on 27 September by the investigative media outlet Lighthouse Reports, in collaboration with several international news organisations such as Le Monde and The Guardian, the platform has compiled and disseminated the personal and professional information of over 3,000 journalists, scientists, activists, and organisations working on pesticide-related issues, along with malicious rumours intended to damage their reputations.

“The practice of profiling and spreading rumours that could harm journalists’ integrity should never be allowed to flourish in a democratic state. A thorough investigation must be conducted to bring to justice all those involved in these outrageous violations of privacy and the reputation of environmental journalists. These manipulation techniques aimed at influencing the public debate are a direct attack on the public's right to reliable and independent information.

Arthur Grimonpont, Head of RSF's Global Challenges Desk

Discrediting science and independent journalism

The Bonus Eventus network is managed by the PR firm v-Fluence, led by a former communications director at the agrochemical company Monsanto. Its members include executives from agrochemical firms — such as Bayer-Monsanto, Syngenta, and BASF — as well as U.S. government officials. The platform curates and disseminates content (comments, blog posts, interviews) aimed at downplaying the health and environmental impacts of the agrochemical industry, but primarily seeks to cast doubt on studies and news articles that expose damaging truths about the industry, mainly by discrediting their authors. Environmental journalists who have highlighted the dangers of pesticides are particularly targeted.

Lighthouse Reports is also being surveilled and accused of alleged conflicts of interest. The outlet told RSF that these accusations are being used to discredit their investigative work.

Stéphane Foucart, a journalist for Le Monde whose articles are frequently targeted, explained that the information circulated by this platform is used to undermine solid scientific studies and their journalistic coverage. He pointed to a recently published study linking pesticides to increased infant mortality rates. “These attacks are then widely amplified on social media to erode public trust in recognized scientific work,” he told RSF.