Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it will not be testing food for glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide and the main ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp, according to Food Policy Action.
- Food Policy Action, a policy group, issued an online petition asking the USDA to reconsider its decision.
- The World Health Organization has labeled glyphosate a probable cause of cancer and California classified the herbicide as a carcinogen. Scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency remain divided on whether there is a link between the chemical and cancer.
Dive Insight:
In light of a recent New York Times report linking a possible collusion between the EPA and Monsanto to manipulate the science and risk posed by glyphosate, USDA's decision to not test corn syrup for the chemical is obviously alarming many.
In its most recent Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service revealed that 99% of tested samples contained pesticide residues below the EPA’s established levels, and researchers detected no residue on 15% of samples. However, the USDA's report did not look for glyphosate. Another study done last year by nonprofit groups found that many U.S. food products had higher-than-expected amounts of glyphosate residue.
Glyphosate remains the world's most used agricultural chemical, so naturally there is concern by many that enough study isn’t being done. Many organizations are urging the USDA to do more about the chemical.
Some believe that the current political climate, with an anti-regulation White House and Congress, makes it less likely that more serious testing will occur. The petition is a way for the public to make their voices heard on the matter, but it's unclear whether it can have any impact on policy in the short term.