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Campaigners are urging the UK government to prohibit the use of the herbicide glyphosate for drying crops just before harvest, citing concerns about its potential impact on human health. While certain farmers maintain that the chemical is necessary for efficient crop management, the Soil Association has raised alarms about residue from glyphosate ending up in everyday food products such as bread, breakfast cereals, and beer.
Scientific research has indicated possible connections between glyphosate exposure and various illnesses, including cancer. In light of these findings, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is preparing to open a consultation regarding whether glyphosate should continue to be allowed for crop use past its current licence expiration in December 2026. Notably, the use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant was banned in the European Union during 2023, and activists are now pressing for the UK to follow suit, even though glyphosate remains approved for other agricultural applications in Europe.
The Soil Association launched a campaign aimed at ending glyphosate’s application as a drying agent in UK farming, ahead of the upcoming HSE consultation. Guy Singh-Watson, a farmer and founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, clarified on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the goal is not to ban glyphosate entirely, but specifically to stop spraying it on crops just days before harvest, given that chemical residues are known to remain in various food products. He described the pre-harvest use of glyphosate as a relatively recent development and disputed claims that it is essential for growing wheat.
Glyphosate, commonly known as an active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller, was originally developed by Monsanto in the 1970s. Since the patent expired in 2000, multiple companies now market products containing it. Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, has maintained that no regulatory authorities have classified glyphosate as carcinogenic. However, Singh-Watson expressed skepticism toward regulatory bodies, pointing out that many chemicals once considered safe have subsequently been banned. Meanwhile, the UK government states that glyphosate is tightly regulated and approved only when evidence confirms its safety. The current authorization for glyphosate use in Great Britain has been extended to allow time for a thorough review of new scientific and regulatory data, with a public consultation scheduled for this summer.
Farmers like Dave Bell, chair of the Voluntary Initiative for the use of Plant Protection, emphasize the practical benefits of glyphosate, highlighting its role in promoting soil health and reducing overall environmental impact. Bell explained that without glyphosate, more fuel would be needed to dry crops, increasing carbon emissions. The National Farmers Union (NFU) and other agricultural organizations support the continued use of glyphosate-based herbicides, with NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins calling it an essential tool for controlling weeds and disease, facilitating harvests, and producing affordable food sustainably. Tompkins pointed out that regulatory authorities worldwide have consistently found glyphosate to be safe when properly used, and expressed hope that the UK would renew its approval for another 15 years.
Contrastingly, a coalition of international scientists convened earlier this year and concluded that glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides pose clear risks to human health and can cause cancer. Their expert statement asserted that the evidence is now so compelling that any further delay in regulatory action cannot be justified. A government spokesperson reiterated that glyphosate, like all pesticides, undergoes strict regulation to ensure it does not harm health or the environment, and emphasized the UK’s commitment to promoting sustainable pest management practices through integrated strategies that minimize pesticide use
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