Pam Marrone & Agraquest You Will Not Get Away With Your Environmental/Healthcare

[Guest guest]

Pam Marrone & Agraquest You Will Not Get Away With Your

Environmental/Healthcare Crimes

Bay Area Indymedia - San Francisco,CA*

by Sandi Trend, Mother of Bell

Tuesday May 27th, 2008

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/05/27/18502543.php

Pam Marrone, owner of Agraquest, a biotech genetic engineering

company in , California has been involved in a criminal cover-

up in the case of Bell. Bell while working at the based

based company was infected by fungus and bacteria at their

laboratory because of illegal health and safety practices. Marrone

in order to limit liability and avoid frightening away investors

denied that he had been injured on the job despite the fact that

patented products from the company were found in his body. was

forced to go onto SSI to save his life.

marrone__pam1.jpg

Pam Marrone & Agraquest, You Will Not Get Away With Your

Environmental/Healthcare Crimes

Workers Comp, The Destruction Of Ca-OSHA/EPA And The Case Of

Bell

http://www.workersmemorialday.org

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8772395089110184693

Statement of Sandi Trend, Mother of Injured BioTech Worker,

Bell

Worker, Bell Worker's Memorial Day Rally held in the City of

, California April 27, 2008

I would like to say that it is a pleasure to be here today, although

the reason for my speaking is not about anything that can be defined

as pleasurable. My name is Sandi Trend and I am the mother of, like

so many of you that are here, and injured worker. It wasn't until my

son started on the labyrinth road of lies, deceit, fraud and

concealment of a biotechnology company here in , an industry

that my son had so heartedly believed in became sick (and continues

to be sick), could I have ever imagined what a nightmare so many of

you have gone through. I'm sorry for all of you the injured worker

and the people who love them.

I now know that what my son has said to me, " Mom, no one cares, "

seems to be true. I am here today to tell you all. In the State of

California (and all other states where their is a broken worker's

compensation system), everyone behind this unjust system who has

forgotten, or chooses to ignore the value of even one single life,

and especially those employers who hide under the umbrella of

protection within the worker's compensation system so that past,

present and future employees as well as the public are never made

aware of your misdeeds...

There is someone who cares – and you will not get away with this.

When you have beaten down, and injured worker who went to work

everyday not to get injured, get sick or die, but only wanted to be

a contributing member of society, to give something back to the

world and make it a better place ...There is someone who cares – and

you will not get away with this. When you have stolen an injured

worker's ability to make a living and forced them to merely exist

with the help from federal and state agencies, families and friends,

there is someone who cares – and you will not get away with this…

when you have destroyed not only the injured worker but their

families. There is someone who cares – and you will not get away

with this. When an injured worker or the families of an injured

worker who have become injured, became sick and have even died, have

lost their voice because of you… Let me tell you, there is still

someone who cares, and we will not go away, and you will not get

away with this.

And forced them to merely exist with the help from federal and state

agencies, families and friends, there is someone who cares – and you

will not get away with this… When you have destroyed not only the

injured worker but also their families… there is someone who cares –

and you will not get away with this. When an inured worker or the

families of an injured worker who have become injured, became sick

and have even died, have lost hteir voice because of you… Let me

tell you, there is still someone who cares and we will not go away,

and you will not get away with this.

I would like to address, not only everyone who is here today, but

the City of and its residence as well. And I hope, with

everything that is in me, you will take heed to what I am saying. My

son, who was 1 semester shy from getting his Bachelor of Science

degree with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry took a

temporary full-time position that was offered him from the

biotechnology company, Agraquest Inc. as an Assistant Researcher in

this City in 1998. He began his employment while the company was

still located in an " office park " in a residential neighborhood. The

address was 1105 Kennedy Place, Suite 4, which sits on the corner of

Kennedy Place and J. Street.

As Agraquest states:

" AgraQuest is a biotechnology company that focuses on discovering,

developing, manufacturing and marketing effective, safe and

environmentally friendly natural pest management products for the

agricultural, institutional and home markets. " Agraquest's founder

is Pam Marrone, who was formerly from Monsanto. While at Monsanto

she led its Insect Biotechnology group. She gave an answer to a

question posed to her, QUOTE: " Please describe the work that you are

doing that you consider to be the most innovative " Pam Marrone

listed that she " founded two " pure " biotech companies, Entotech and

AgraQuest " . Agraquest started in 1995.

Pam Marrone also said, QUOTE: " was founding president and business

unit head for Entotech, Inc. (1990-1995) in , (QUOTE: " a

successful biopesticide subsidiary of Denmark-based Novo Nordisk. "

Pam Marrone has been in the biotechnology arena for a very long time

now. The reason I am bringing this up to and it's residents is

I doubt very much that you were even aware of what was and no doubt

is still going on in this city.

I have brought with me today presentations for your viewing. As you

can see I have given " excerpts " of some of Agraquest's (Pam Marrone

and others in the company) Interviews and articles about them or

with them. It is very plain to see, and they have openly boasted

they have " searched the world over " in their search for the " novel "

microorganism. They also say they use " microbe hunters " and " They'll

check out new samples of soils or plant roots or lichens arriving

from across the globe, hoping that one eventually will lead to the

next breakthrough natural, environmentally safe pesticide or

fungicide. " (In the article, " AgraQuest Growing its Own Success " ;

from the Sacramento Bee, dated August 11, 1997). This is just a

couple of examples I am now pointing out.

First of all, an office park in a residential neighborhood, is NOT

an area where the possibility exists that it could contain known

pathogens, let alone the UNKNOWN. I am not sure what Bio Safety

Level a research lab that brings in soil from other countries, such

as Agraquest should have, but I am quite sure that Agraquest did not

have a Bio Safety Level above 2, if they had that. There was much

discussion in the city of about bringing in a Level 3 or Level

4 lab as it was opposed by it's residents. There was a fear of what

microorganisms could be in such a lab in the City and the risks

associated with it. We have all heard the word ANTHRAX. ANTHRAX

comes from soil and as is stated in numerous articles, Agraquest

does indeed " search soil samples " for the " novel " microorganism.

Not only does Agraquest want to " discover " a new bacteria or fungus,

they also test their discoveries on plant diseases such as fungus

and bacteria. I have also shown in the presentation, documented

relationship to these bacteria and fungus as being human health

hazards. Five months and 9 days after my son started working for

Agraquest, after a workday, he ended up at Immediate Care Medical

Clinic with bloody pus draining from his nose and the left side of

his face and teeth had become numb and 16 days later he ended up

having the first of four sinus surgeries, the last surgery was in

2006. My son has never regained his health, in fact, more and more

of his body has been affected as a result of working for Agraquest.

I have also shown in my presentation, bacteria and fungus that have

been found in my son, either in his blood, sputum cultures and

levels of positive to HIGH POSITIVE in IgG tests, showing that he

had a very high level of exposure to these microorganisms.

's immune system had been jeopardized and for 3 years, every 28

days, he was hooked up for approximately 7 hours each to an IV pump

and received immunoglobulin infusions (like those who receive

chemotherapy) because his body had stopped producing enough B-cells

and he no longer had an intact immune system. Each and every time he

had an IV infusion, he had violent reactions to these treatments. To

this day, his immune system levels are all over the place. For the

last, going on 10 years now, my son has been living in a nightmare

of hell with respect to his health. I am absolutely terrified just

what they are going to find in my son, if they ever do as what the

medical community is telling him now is that it is inconclusive,

they don't know what he has, they can't identify it. He has

said " they will never find out Mom until I am on an autopsy table. "

I have lived my life in a state of fear since worked for

Agraquest. And it is pretty sad when his daughter asks her

Mother, " What was Daddy like before he got sick? "

Pam Marrone has said, " We're doing a lot of interesting things here

that are cutting edge. They haven't been done before. " To this, I

say, " Who made you God " ? Agraquest searches for the " novel "

microorganism to fight plant disease and insect control. Who is to

say that there isn't going to be a crisis because of mutations of

bacteria and fungus that is allowed to be put on our food crops as

well as food for livestock? What becomes of the soil when it is

being invaded with genetically engineered or modified

microorganisms? Why are eradicated diseases now coming back causing

illness, disease and death? And a very important question is why

does the industry only have to show in their patents and

products " the active " ingredient? The Ag-Biotechnology industry says

they are trying to go " natural " and get away from the use of

chemicals completely, however, when you look at their patents it

clearly shows they use chemicals and/or other microorganisms or

both. Just what is being put on our food and spayed on us for insect

control? Why do we, the citizens of the United States not have the

right-to- know? I also find if questionable why my son's project,

(Laginex which had already cleared by the United States Patent

office and the Environmental Protection Agency BEFORE he was hired

at Agraquest) was allowed to be altered in any way. My son was to

find a viable agent to extend the shelf life of Laginex and still it

was allowed to be sprayed for mosquito control. Is the biotech

industry allowed to do what it wants at will? Some serious questions

need to be raised and answered. You'll notice I have pictures of the

location where worked at Agraquest when he got sick, 1105

Kennedy Place. The reason for these pictures is to show the city of

and it's residents why I am not only speaking to the injured

workers who are here, but you need to see what I am talking about.

There is a picture of the corner of J Street and Kennedy and a

picture of the building's " directory " . Agraquest was in #4. I have

also shown a " drain " , as Agraquest called it. You will notice that

the " drain " is merely a hollowing out in the concrete and you will

also see on the other picture where the drain leads... directly onto

the ground. My son, while he was still in this building, had been

instructed to pick up a " drum " (or barrel) from an offsite farm

where Agraquest tested some of their products or inventions. When he

picked the " drum " up it still had some " liquid " in it. When he asked

what he was to do with it he was told to clean it out so it could be

reused for fermentation broth. He was instructed to clean it out and

dump it down the " drain " . He asked it it was safe, and like

everything else he inquired about, he was told " yes " . He said it had

the word " Germany " on it and letters and numbers. My friend and I

went to one day (August 2006) because I wanted to see where

this drain he had talked about was, as my son said that he was told

to dump everything there and it was outside. I didn't find a drain,

not anything that would resemble any kind of drain I had ever seen.

I took pictures and sent them to my son to see if this is the drain

he was talking about. My son said " yes " . I was appalled because

where this drain dumps is directly onto the ground and right across

the street from apartments that are on J Street. I asked him if this

so called drain had been jackhammered out when he worked at

Agraquest and he said " No " . Not far from the end of the drain is

something for " irrigation " (the picture is one the presentation

board). On this board you will also see some pictures of a dead

crow, faucet, and pipe. My friend pointed this out to me. It looks

like the crow had been drinking from the drip (faucet) and died.

There is " something " (greens, yellows, tans, and orange colored )

that is under the pipe. I don't know what it is nor how long it had

been there, all I know it is pretty frightening. My son said he

thinks that the drip might have been coming from the air conditioner

condensation line. Two weeks later I returned with Doug Haney and

the crow was still there. Like the first time, the crow showed no

signs of decomposing nor were there any bugs nor flying insects

around.

This faucet is on the same wall that Agraquest's lab was located. I

have since been back to 1105 Kennedy Place and there is a new

concrete wall, next to the concrete walkway. From the original

outside wall of the building to the new wall is what I would call a

flower bed as it has been filled in with dirt. There is now a new

faucet on the added wall.

So residents of , I believe you should be asking some

questions. I have contacted an investigator at the Yolo County

District Attorney's office and he has said he had turned it over to

someone in an environmental agency. I don't know what has been found

out. I have also contacted Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and tried to

speak with Congressman

Dan Lundgren at a town-hall meeting. Shortly thereafter, I was

granted a meeting with some of his staff, however I was unable to

attend and Doug Haney attended this meeting. He addressed some very

serious concerns, one being Home Land Security as dirt or soil had

been brought in illegally from, I believe South America by

Agraquest. My son said this was around the time of the Mad Cow

scare. We haven't heard back from Lundgren's office.

Like so many injured workers, my son's illness and disease has been

denied, although everything that he has gone through and is still

going though can be traced back to his employment at Agraquest. In

2003, as a result of a blood test done by the Mayo Clinic, it was

found my son showed a positive titer to histo-yeast. The fungus,

histoplasma capsulatum causes histoplasmosis, which can be a very

serious and often fatal disease in humans. Manker, one of the

founding scientists of Agraquest, has denied histoplasma ever being

at Agraquest.

She has gone so far as to say she believes it comes from bat or bird

droppings. However, she along with three other Agraquest scientists

started signing away their interest on a patent and they were listed

as four of the " inventors " on this patent. This was on January 22

though January 26, just 4 days after my son first sought emergency

medical treatment. It was also found that Pam Marrone was named

as " first named inventor " . Whether my son's positive blood result is

connected to this patent we don't know, but it is known that this

fungus is found in soil, and Agraquest " searches " soil Manker

also testified, under oath before the Workers Compensation Judge,

that Agraquest had received only one citation from CAL/OSHA and it

was for one fume hood. She denied Agraquest ever being cited other

than the one time. Manker also said she is the one that worked with

CAL/OSHA on inspection findings that were done by the agency.

Agraquest did not receive only one citation from CAL/OSHA but two

that I know of. These are shown on the presentation board. One

citation was for " several illegal chemical fume hoods " and the other

in 2003 listed many violations. Manker lied on the witness stand,

however the Judge found her testimony more credible than 's

Qualified Medical Examiner who said " By the description of Mr. Bell,

it is not surprising that he could have been exposed to histoplassma

in the contaminated " microfoci " as described by Gorbach et al. The

risk of a laboratory worker in contracting histoplasmosis is

actually well recognized by the Center of Disease Control, which has

published a monograph " Histoplasmosis Protect Workers at Risk.... He

goes on further stating other articles, which say the same thing.

's Qualified Medical Examiner also said he believes 's

exposure to Bacillus Subtilis instigated his first sinus surgery in

1999. Again his opinion was not even a consideration. Why then do we

have Qualified Medical Examiner's in the first place?

There is a long list of unethical behaviors being committed by the

Workers Compensation System as well. During my son's Workers

Compensation Trial my son was denied submission of additional

evidence, although he was told during a prior hearing he could if

there was new evidence. He was now facing another sinus surgery...

this was new.

was denied, like so many injured workers, the right to

compensation. The Judge in fact had 10 years prior worked for a law

firm that represented the defense insurance carrier, Liberty Mutual.

My son had never seen this Judge before the actual trial, he was not

given the opportunity to oppose her, as the defense had done to one

of his Judges, nor did she recuse herself because of her prior

connections to Liberty Mutual. I was also listed as a " witness " but

I was not allowed by the Judge to even take the stand.

Agraquest listed the wrong insurance carrier on my son's Workers

Compensation claim in 2003. Because of a subpoena of my son's

employee file in 2004 (requested in writing to an Agraquest attorney

citing Federal and state law, which was ignored) my son found that

Agraquest themselves had received the denial letter and did nothing

to correct the " error " . This denial letter was found in the

subpoenaed records. My son had to find out himself who the correct

insurance carrier by calling the Insurance Rating Bureau in San

Francisco. The correct carrier, Golden Eagle/Liberty Mutual denied

the claim, 285 days after my son sent it by registered mail to

Agraquest. The LAW says that a claim is compensatable if it is not

denied within 90 days however, this was allowed to be ignored in the

Workers Compensation system even to through the appeal process.

Agraquest not only violated their duty as an employer to protect the

safety of their employees, they also concealed the fact that my son

had gotten sick because of workplace exposures. They made people

believe that he was a " threat to the company and it's employees " by

sending a memo to " All Agraquesters " saying such. They went so far

as to say " the Police Department will be called and better to

be safe " . An ex-coworker of my son had even sought a restraining

order against him. This was at the instigation of the company. The

request was denied.

Agraquest could not afford the truth coming out that 's illness

was a result of working for them. They were in the process of

registering with the EPA on their Bacillus Subtilis QST 713.

Interestingly, Agraquest was only given a " Conditional Time-Limeted "

registration for up to 2 years by the EPA as they themselves found

fault and had questions. However, this product was still allowed to

be used in the agricultural arena.

It is mandated by both Federal and State of California law that

knowledge of an adverse health effect from a pesticide (biological

included) MUST BE REPORTED. This was never done. Had my son's

illness, before his first sinus surgery been report it would have

caused much harm for Agraquest in many areas. This is total

concealment. My son's life has been changed forever, because he

wanted to make a difference in the world. like so many hard working

citizens. His life has no doubt been shortened considerably.

It is time to put a stop to the nonsense and fight for the rights of

the injured worker. And the City of , its residents need to

know what has taken place in their city. I am not sure if any of

them have been sick because of Agraquest, but my son is proof of

their lack of safety standards, not to mention everything else.

Steve Zeltzer said, " This will not go away " and I can tell you, " I

will not go away " , and until my last dying breath I am going to

fight for change. The corruption has to stop, from the bad employer

who has no Conscience what-so-ever to an unjust Workers Compensation

System.

Thank you,

Sandi Trend

Trend

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8...