Chemical Controversies
Pesticides are substances that prevent, destroy, repel, or reduce the severity of pests. Pests are living things that occur where they are not wanted or that cause damage to humans, crops, or animals. Pests can be insects, rodents, unwanted plants, bacteria, viruses, or different types of fungus. Pesticides can vary in how toxic they are to humans and the environment. Some are persistent in the environment, animals, and birds, lasting for years; others break down soon after they are released. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants licenses, or registrations, to pesticides that it has found do not pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment; it has registered at least 865 pesticides, which are used in thousands of pesticide products.
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
Fertilizers helped food keep pace with population growth but with Faustian bargain?
Most people don’t think about fertilizer, but few innovations are as central to modern life. In the 20th century, manmade ...
Bumblebees fed high doses of neonicotinoids in laboratory setting did not buzz as much or release pollen
The world’s most widely used insecticides harm the ability of bees to vibrate flowers and shake out the pollen to fertilise crops, ...
Nature editorial ‘exploits public anxiety’ on endocrine disruptors
In December, the European Union member states will vote on proposed legislation to regulate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Nature carried an editorial ...
EPA panel begins evaluation of carcinogenicity of glyphosate
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding four days of meetings, beginning December 13, aimed at examining the evidence that ...
Farmer: Why I choose to grow genetically engineered crops
GMO supporters generally stick to positive talking points about the technology, while critics stick to the negative. Terry Daynard, a ...
Read GLP’s Jon Entine’s Reddit Science ‘Ask Me Anything’ on pesticides and the ‘bee-pocalypse’
December 13, from 2-4 pm EST, GLP's executive director, Jon Entine, will be holding a Reddit Science "Ask Me Anything" ...
Why farmers have been slow to adopt GMO alfalfa
Adoption of genetically engineered alfalfa among farmers has lagged behind other biotech crops, with the vast majority of U.S. acreage ...
Monsanto sued by peach farmer over alleged damage from illegal herbicide use
Missouri’s largest peach producer has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto Co., alleging that the biotech company bears responsibility for illegal ...
Oregon teacher: Anti-GMO activist Vandana Shiva talk slippery on facts
On November 21, 2016, prominent GMO critic Vandana Shiva, gave a presentation at the Peace Center at Lane Community College ...
Does a burger from a hormone-treated cow pose a health problem? Maybe, if you eat the bun
[This article was written by Michelle Miller, aka Farm Babe, who raises lambs and beef cattle, and grows almost 2,000 ...
Honeybees are not in crisis, but what about beekeepers?
While it's now acknowledged that honeybee populations aren’t declining, some of the focus of concern has shifted from the pollinators ...
Talking Biotech: Florida’s Kevin Folta on anti-GMO groups scaring consumers about glyphosate in foods
Florida’s Kevin Folta on anti-GMO groups scaring consumers about glyphosate in foods ...
International activist group, Avaaz, working to ban glyphosate in Canada, other countries
In the September issue of Country Guide I wrote about the Avaaz movement’s effort to ban glyphosate in “The Target is Glyphosate“ ...
While safety of herbicide glyphosate is clear, doubts fueled by WHO’s IARC undermines trust in science
Most regulators around the world have concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer. But one agency disagrees. The International ...
Myth-busting site Snopes judges Food Babe’s ‘shocking report’ of glyphosate in food “FALSE”
CLAIM: A new analysis of the residue on common American foods showed high levels of the herbicide glyphosate and Monsanto, ...
Talking Biotech: Florida’s Kevin Folta debunks claims of glyphosate in food; Oregon State’s Shaun Townsend uses genetics to breed more flavorful beer hops
Florida’s Kevin Folta debunks glyphosate in food claims; Oregon State’s Shaun Townsend uses genetics to breed more flavorful beer hops ...
Cause for concern over claims of “dangerous” glyphosate in wine, breast milk, cereal, etc.?
There is far less reason to worry about the 'dangers' of glyphosate when compared to other pesticide but many activists ...
Anti-GMO activist-funded lab tests find micro-traces of glyphosate in popular foods
The herbicide residues were found in cookies, crackers, popular cold cereals and chips commonly consumed by children and adults, according ...
Is the herbicide glyphosate, often paired with GMOs, especially dangerous?
Why do advocacy groups campaign against the herbicide glyphosate and not other far more toxic agricultural pesticides? ...
Lawsuit targets Topco over micro-traces of glyphosate in ‘natural’ granola
Plaintiff Jason Scholder is taking on defendants Topco Holdings Inc. and Topco Associates LLC, the makers of Granola Oats, Honey ...
Could glyphosate cause other health problems even if it’s not carcinogenic?
GMO skeptics have raised health concerns about glyphosate beyond claims, proven unfounded, that they cause cancer. Here is what the ...
Does the herbicide glyphosate cause cancer? The GLP does a deep dive into the science
Glyphosate--an herbicide pioneered by Monsanto but now off patent--has emerged as a proxy for critics of crop biotechnology and intensive ...
European scientist: WHO’s IARC faces scrutiny over glyphosate cancer designation
One of the World Health Organization's cancer research bodies faces increasing criticism because of its questionable categorizations of numerous safe ...
How to save Monarch butterflies? Banning glyphosate and planting milkweeds won’t help
According to activists, the decline of the Monarch butterfly population is primarily due to the over application of the popular ...
EPA: Dow’s Enlist Duo combining glyphosate and 2,4-D herbicides poses no serious safety concerns
Enlist Duo containing the choline salt of 2,4-D and glyphosate was first registered in 2014 for use in Genetically Engineered ...
WHO’s cancer agency claims “transparency”, moves to block glyphosate Freedom of Information requests
The World Health Organization's cancer agency [IARC]--which is facing criticism over how it classifies carcinogens--advised academic experts ... who worked ...
Is EPA’s registration review of glyphosate being delayed for political reasons?
The Environmental Protection Agency appears to be punting a final decision on the safety of a controversial weedkiller into the ...
