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Glyphosate update

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Bill Reeves, Ph.D.

Public Affairs & Sustainability
Bayer Crop Science

1 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// January 2019

 History of Glyphosate

Glyphosate is a HOW IT WORKS:

versatile herbicide Glyphosate works by inhibiting an enzyme
that has been used
for 40+ years by in a process present in plants.
farmers, land
managers and
gardeners.

Glyphosate when applied to a plant, is absorbed and travels to the roots where it
blocks this specific plant enzyme. Without that enzyme, the plant can’t make the
building blocks it needs to grow and the entire plant withers to the ground.

2 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// July 2019

 Benefits of Glyphosate

Widespread
adoption is based
on three key
factors:

In the past, farmers controlled weeds by hand

1 Ability to control
a broad spectrum
of weeds

With mechanization, farmers moved to plowing soil, which

contributes to topsoil erosion, and using multiple selective 2 Extensive
economic and
environmental
herbicides
benefits
Using glyphosate-based herbicides, farmers can leave soil
intact, supporting soil health and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions
3 Strong
safety profile

Glyphosate-based herbicides are mixed with water and

applied as a spray prior to planting, following harvest, or on
certain crops
3 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// July 2019
 Testing and Oversight

All crop protection products, including glyphosate, are subject

to rigorous testing and oversight by regulatory agencies.

Before a pesticide Meeting regulatory and
reaches the market, safety requirements takes
companies are several years — and
required to submit according to a 2016 industry
more than 100 study, costs about $71
safety studies to million. This investment
represents a significant
ensure products pose
no unreasonable risk portion of the overall $286
to human health or million and 11-years it
the environment. takes to bring a pesticide
product to market.
The studies are carried out
according to internationally
recognized quality standards
called Good Laboratory
Practices (GLP).
GLP standards are considered
among the highest standard of
scientific testing in the world.
Among other things, the GLP
program ensures studies submitted
for review contain all the raw data —
even if findings are unfavorable to
a company’s interest, no data
can be omitted.

4 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// July 2019

 Since the IARC report in
Long History of Safe Use 2015, other regulators have
reached conclusions
contrary to IARC’s one
outlier report, and reaffirmed
There is an incredible amount of data supporting the safe
that glyphosate is not
use of glyphosate and glyphosate-based formulated products. carcinogenic, including:

European Food Safety Authorities

The largest and most recent (EFSA)
epidemiologic study – the 2018 European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
independent National Cancer
Institute long-term study that German BfR
followed more than 50,000
Health Canada
licensed pesticide applicators
– found no association between Australian, Korean, New Zealand and
glyphosate-based herbicides Japanese regulatory authorities
and cancer.
Joint FAO (Food and Agriculture
Additionally, EPA’s 2017 post- Organization) / WHO Meeting on
Pesticide Residues (JMPR)
IARC cancer risk assessment
examined more than 100 studies
Statement from Health Canada
the agency considered relevant January 11, 2019
and concluded …Our scientists left no stone unturned in conducting this review…
that glyphosate is ‘not likely to be
carcinogenic to humans,’ its
most favorable rating.

5 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// July 2019

 Who is the International Agency For Research On Cancer (IARC)?
The confusion about
glyphosate and cancer IARC is a program within
stems from one opinion WHO but it is
not a regulatory
from a group called IARC.
authority.
One study limitation IARC
expressly acknowledges: it
“identifies cancer hazards
even when risks are very low
at current exposure levels,”
which means that its
classifications do
not reflect real-
world exposure.
6 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// June 2019
IARC’s opinion is
inconsistent with
In March 2015, IARC
the overwhelming
classified
consensus of
glyphosate as a
regulatory authorities
“probable carcinogen.”
and other experts
around the world.
The glyphosate litigation
Another limitation is that
is basedlargely on
IARC’s opinion was based
on a limited and IARC’s opinion.
After IARC’s opinion was
selective
announced in 2015, U.S.
consideration of
trial lawyers started
prior scientific
running advertising
research – as they
campaigns to recruit
did no original research
people for their lawsuits
themselves
against Monsanto.
 Regulatory Conclusions and Reassessments Post-IARC

2015 2016 2017

2019

7
 3 trials – all N. CA
Current Status of
Litigation 1 case on appeal (Johnson)
1 case to be appealed (Hardeman)
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1 case recent ruling on post-trial motions (Pilliod)

8 /// Glyphosate Briefing /// January 2019