Glyphosate's UK Debate: Safety vs. Yields

0:00On April 9th, Scottish farmers back in the 1980s started spraying glyphosate on wheat right before harvest to dry it out evenly in their damp fields. This herbicide kills plants but not animals and the trick caught on in wetter farming areas worldwide. Fast forward for decades and over 2,200 tons hit UK farms in 2024 alone, mostly on cereals like wheat. Usage has jumped 10 fold over the last 30 years, even after the World Health Organization labelled it probably carcinogenic to humans in 20. 15. Thousands more tons go on parks, roadsides and home gardens each year, with the chemical's license up for renewal this December. Campaigners like pesticide action network UK call it an out-of-control addiction, linking it to cancers, other diseases, and environmental damage like polluted waters and dying wildlife. They want a full phase out and safer options for farmers and councils. Experts explain its key for UK regenerative farming, no-tilling soil to kill weeds, means less erosion and more carbon storage.

1:05But glyphosate does the job instead. Unlike the US with its resistant GM crops, here it's mostly pre-planting sprays. Bear fights cancer claims, while US lawsuits cost them billions in settlements and France links it to Parkinson's with farmer payouts. UK officials say strict rules keep it safe for health and nature, but exposure risks grow with more use from food to garden sprays. As renewal looms, the debate heats up on balancing yields with real safety.