The clock may be ticking on the future of use of glyphosate to control a range of weeds in a number of crops.
In 2015 the World Health Organization鈥檚 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared that glyphosate is 鈥減robably carcinogenic to humans鈥�, a statement which sent a shudder through food consumers and the agriculture sector.
The WHO list of potential carcinogenic material is rather long, including aluminum production, alcoholic beverages, estrogen postmenopausal therapy, formaldehyde, leather dust, tobacco, solar radiation (sunshine), and wood dust.
In the case of the widely used glyphosate the listing by WHO has been much debated, with a number of studies suggesting it is not a cancer causing threat. The result of the debate even has court cases pending on the validity of the data and classification.
The results of any court challenge will be years in coming though, and whatever the eventual results, the perception in the minds of many is set, and no future results, via court or science will shake those perceptions.
The backlash has been most notable among European Union nations, a group which has often latched on the herbicide and insecticide concerns as a handy way to limit imports of grains and oilseeds from other countries. It is a trade barrier that comes in the disguise of 小蓝视频 about consumer health.
In the case of glyphosate that safety really depends on what research you trust, and even after that determination there is the question of the threat level compared to alcohol, leather dust and sunshine.
That all said, the EU recently cleared U.S.-developed glyphosate for another five years, although expectations are that an extension down the road is unlikely in the face of concerns that the most pesticide can cause cancer.
But French President Emmanuel Macron has come out in favour of a much quicker ban of the world鈥檚 most widely used herbicide. EU rules allow France to unilaterally ban the substance, an approach Macron has decided to take. Macron has promised to end the use of glyphosate in France within three years.
Three years is a very short time, when you are looking to replace a herbicide as widely used as glyphosate. In North America the situation would be even tougher as many popular corn, soybean and canola varieties are widely grown.
In the case of France, the European Union鈥檚 largest grain-producing country, farmers have to be wondering what tool will replace glyphosate in terms of weed control.
North American farmers have to be viewing the EU, and in particular French, situation over the herbicide closely as it could well be a foreshadowing of what consumers push for here in the future.
Calvin Daniels is Assistant Editor with Yorkton This Week.
