California Court Dismisses Lawsuit against Dole Brought by Philippine Plaintiffs Claiming to Be Banana Workers17:52 EDT Wednesday, August 08, 2012 WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (Business Wire) -- Dole Food Company, Inc., (NYSE:DOLE) today announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed with prejudice the case Macasa v. Dole. The lawsuit, which was filed last year, had been brought by 2,935 Philippine plaintiffs claiming to be banana workers who had been injured from alleged exposure more than 30 years ago to the agricultural chemical DBCP. The plaintiffs had filed an identical lawsuit 13 years earlier in the Philippines, which was ultimately dismissed by the Philippine Supreme Court. “The Superior Court dismissed a case that should never have been brought in the first place,” said C. Michael Carter, Dole's Executive Vice President and General Counsel. “There is simply no reliable scientific basis for alleged injuries from the agricultural field application of DBCP, and the fraudulent claims in Macasa were no different than other similar cases.” Dole is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and is the leading producer of organic bananas. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen foods and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research. Dole Food Company, Inc.Marty Ordman, 818-874-4834