Dole Food Company, Inc. today announced that the participation of
Shell Oil Company and certain of its affiliates in an augmented
Honduran Worker Program, involving Standard Fruit de Honduras, S.A.,
the Government of Honduras and representatives of Honduran banana
workers, has now been approved by all parties. The original Worker
Program was announced on October 23, 2006 and implemented beginning in
January 2007. The Worker Program is intended by the parties to resolve
in a fair and equitable manner the claims of male banana workers
alleging sterility as a result of exposure to the agricultural
chemical DBCP. Shell will be creating another layer to the Worker
Program. The new layer, to be funded by Shell, will provide a
participation payment to male Hondurans who can demonstrate that they
were banana workers who were exposed to DBCP while working for
Standard Fruit Company or on a contracted farm between 1967 and 1980.
While Dole believes there is no reliable scientific basis for alleged
injuries from the agricultural field application of DBCP, Dole has
continued to seek reasonable resolution of the pending claims.
Michael Carter, Dole's Executive Vice President, General Counsel
and Corporate Secretary said, "We very much welcome the participation
by Shell in the Honduran Worker Program. Shell's participation in the
augmented Worker Program is good for the community and will encourage
more workers to benefit from the Worker Program. The Honduran Worker
Program reflects Dole's continued efforts to resolve DBCP claims
worldwide. Dole has consistently demonstrated its willingness to use
structured worker programs as the most effective means to resolve
these claims with immediate cash payments to those workers who meet
minimum criteria, consistent with reliable science." Mr. Carter also
commented that "As in Honduras, Dole is committed to finding a prompt
resolution to the DBCP claims in Nicaragua, and is prepared to pursue
a structured worker program with science-based criteria."
Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.3 billion, is
the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit,
fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of
packaged and frozen foods and is a produce industry leader in
nutrition education and research.
This release contains "forward-looking statements," within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that
involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward looking
statements, which are based on management's current expectations, are
generally identifiable by the use of terms such as "may," "will,"
"expects," "believes," "intends" and similar expressions. The
potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied herein include
weather-related phenomena; market responses to industry volume
pressures; product and raw materials supplies and pricing; energy
supply and pricing; changes in interest and currency exchange rates;
economic crises and security risks in developing countries;
international conflict; and quotas, tariffs and other governmental
actions. Further information on the factors that could affect Dole's
financial results is included in its SEC filings, including its Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
