Many farmers endorse glyphosate as safe weed killer while Bayer battles Roundup-cancer lawsuits

glyphosate

Farmers are standing by Bayer AG’s Roundup herbicide despite rulings from two juries that the world’s most widely used weedkiller caused cancer in plaintiffs.

The chemical, used on the vast majority of corn, soybean and cotton acres planted in the U.S., remains prized by farmers for its low cost and effectiveness.

“I don’t have any concerns with safety,” said Danny Murphy, who raises soybeans and corn near Canton, Miss. Mr. Murphy on [March 20] was preparing to apply glyphosate to his soybean fields after a bout of wet weather over the past week delayed his work.

Farmers in the U.S., Canada, Brazil and other countries have boosted their use of glyphosate since the mid-1990s, when seed and pesticide maker Monsanto introduced crops genetically engineered to survive the chemical. Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, said farmers know how to use glyphosate safely.

“They are well-educated on this subject and know that regulators around the world have examined glyphosate’s safety and concluded that it can be used safely,” a spokesman said.

Farmers say they prefer glyphosate to harsher weedkillers such as paraquat and atrazine….Glyphosate also has been regarded as less toxic to humans.

Read full, original article: Despite Rulings, Farmers Remain Loyal to Bayer’s Roundup (Behind paywall)

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