Given the publicity of glyphosate in the news, I thought I’d
share this.
April 30, 2019
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking
an important step in the agency’s review of glyphosate. As part of this action,
EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate
is used in accordance with its current label and that glyphosate is not a
carcinogen. The agency’s scientific findings on human health risk are
consistent with the conclusions of science reviews by many other countries and other
federal agencies. While the agency did not identify public health risks in the
2017 human health risk assessment, the 2017 ecological assessment did identify
ecological risks. To address these risks, EPA is proposing management measures
to help farmers target pesticide sprays on the intended pest, protect
pollinators, and reduce the problem of weeds becoming resistant to glyphosate.
“EPA has found no risks to public health from the
current registered uses of glyphosate,” said EPA Administrator
Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s proposed action includes new
management measures that will help farmers use glyphosate in the most effective
and efficient way possible, including pollinator protections. We look forward
to input from farmers and other stakeholders to ensure that the draft
management measures are workable, realistic, and effective.”
“If we are going to feed 10 billion people by 2050,
we are going to need all the tools at our disposal, which includes the use the
glyphosate,” U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said. “USDA applauds
EPA’s proposed registration decision as it is science-based and consistent with
the findings of other regulatory authorities that glyphosate does not pose a
carcinogenic hazard to humans.”
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in U.S.
agriculture and has been studied for decades. Glyphosate is used on more
than 100 food crops, including glyphosate-resistant corn, soybean, cotton,
canola and sugar beet. Non-agricultural uses include residential areas, aquatic
areas, forests, rights of way, ornamentals and turf.
Once the Federal Register notice publishes, the
public will be able to submit comments on EPA’s proposed decision at www.regulations.gov in docket # EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0361. Public comments will be
due 60 days after the date of publication in Federal Register. EPA’s responses
to the comments received on the draft ecological and human health risk
assessments and the benefits assessment will be in the docket.
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