Dive Brief:
- According to a recent study, exposure to agrochemicals like glyphosate can cause DNA and cell damage in workers who handle soybeans sprayed with those chemicals.
- Glyphosate is one of the main ingredients in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide and other biocides, which farmers use to get rid of weeds, insects, and fungus in their crops.
- Monsanto and other major agribusinesses mass produce soybean seeds that have been genetically modified to withstand heavy applications of glyphosate and other biocides.
Dive Insight:
The results of this study fly in the face of recent news that Monsanto received the OK from the USDA for its genetically modified soybean and cotton seeds just last week. For some time now, Monsanto and other major agribusinesses have come under fire for genetically-modified seeds, which have generated lawsuits in a number of states, most recently including Hawaii and Kansas.