Crop Comments: Weedkiller Helps Select for Antibiotic Resistance

In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) pronounced judgment against the herbicide ingredient glyphosate. IARC said that glyphosate “probably causes cancer in humans.” Most of the pillars in the ag chemical community opposed that declaration. An industry spokesperson was chosen to publicly defend that chemical’s safety in a TV interview with investigative reporter Paul Moreira. This herbicide’s enthusiast was given the chance to prove the safety of this ingredient, after he said that glyphosate was harmless to humans. He said a person could drink a quart of glyphosate without harm; he then offered to do just that. However, he immediately reneged on that offer when Moreira called his bluff by actually offering him a glass of the liquid herbicide.