IARC Finds Widely Used Glyphosate Herbicide a Probable Carcinogen
Statement of CSPI Biotechnology Director Gregory Jaffe
March 21, 2015
The conclusion by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a globally respected agency within the World Health Organization, that the herbicide glyphosate is a "probable human carcinogen" should be taken seriously by the Environmental Protection Agency, farmers, and industry. Glyphosate is used mostly on genetically engineered corn, soybeans, cotton, and sugar beets, but it is also used by everyday gardeners on their lawns. Considering that farmers use millions of pounds of glyphosate each year, the EPA should ensure that the herbicide should only be used in ways that do not endanger farmers, consumers, or farm animals.
In the interim, farmers should reduce their use of glyphosate and practice integrated weed management, something many were doing before the introduction of glyphosate-tolerant crops but stopped when those crops became available. Such a change would have the added benefit of slowing the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds due to overuse of glyphosate.
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