Glyphosate use has gone up sharply
worldwide since the introduction of glyphosate-tolerant GM crops. It has contaminated
land, water, air, and our food supply. Damning evidence of its serious harm to
health and the environment has been piling up, but the maximum permitted levels
are set to rise by 100-150 times in the European Union if Monsanto gets its way.
Scientific evidence accumulated over
three decades documents miscarriages, birth defects, carcinogenesis, endocrine
disruption, DNA damage, neurotoxicity, and toxicity to liver and kidney at
levels well below recommended agricultural use.
Evidence emerging over the past 20
years reveals its negative environmental and agronomic impacts. The herbicide
is lethal to frogs, increases toxic blooms, and accelerates the deterioration
of water quality.
Livestock illnesses including
reproductive problems, diarrhoea, bloating, spontaneous abortions, reduced live
births, inflamed digestive systems and nutrient deficiencies are linked to
glyphosate tolerant GM feed.
Glyphosate poisons crops and soils by
killing beneficial microorganisms and encouraging pathogens to flourish. Forty
crop diseases are now linked to glyphosate use and the number is increasing.
Glyphosate-resistant weeds cover 120
million ha globally, and continue to spread, it is a major factor accounting
for increase in pesticide use.
Contamination of ground water supplies,
rain, and air has been documented in Spain and the US. Berlin city residents
were recently shown to carry glyphosate levels above permitted EU drinking
is a compelling case for banning or phasing out glyphosate-based herbicides
worldwide in favour of a global transition to non-GM, herbicide-free organic
agriculture. Please forward to your political representatives.