By why are they taking it off of shelves?
In order to avoid lawsuits related to the chemical’s potential to cause cancer. The World Health Organization classified it as “probably carcinogenic to humans” back in 2015.
so this is promising, right?
If you’re a home gardener. Large scale agricultural systems are using glyphosate to grow much of what we eat today. According to the EPA, crops (non-organic) such as soybeans, vegetables, wheat, grapes, corn and cotton have a large percentage of acres treated with the chemical. A 2015 study by the University of California San Francisco identified glyphosate in 93% of the American Public’s urine.
Some crops have been genetically engineered to withstand this herbicide so that when farmers apply the chemical, it kills the surrounding weeds and not the crop itself. These are called “Roundup Ready” crops and have been a game changer for the industry.
how do I avoid glyphosate?
According to the Rodale Institute, “a product with the USDA Certified Organic seal must be grown or produced with no synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers – and that means no RoundUp and no glyphosate.“
why did a pharmaceutical buy a weed-killer company in the first place?
While we may never know the answer to this question, here’s what we do know. Roundup has been linked to cancer, celiac disease, Parkinson’s and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Bayer has recently been granted FDA approval for Parkinson’s drug and seeking approval for their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma drug. They’ve also invested in an Israeli start-up looking to eliminate gluten allergies.
