What is glyphosate ?

And why is it making the headlines?

• Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the weed killer – Roundup
• It has estrogenic effects on the body therefore disrupting the hormonal balance.
• It is also known to disrupt the balance of our gut microbes leading to chronic inflammation and creating issues like Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
• WHO assessed it as a probable human carcinogen linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, and myeloid leukemia.

Now with the increase of genetically modified crops higher doses are required as weeds become resistant. This includes crops like corn, soy, sugar beet and canola and non GM crops like dried peas, beans and lentils. Glyphosate is used as a weed killer prior to cropping and is also used just before harvest.

California is one of the first US states to insist on accurate labelling of Monsanto’s Roundup stating a warning that glyphosate being a probable human carcinogen.

Monsanto has through court action argued to dispel this ruling because millions of consumers may stop buying Roundup because of the labels. Isn’t that the idea of correct labelling to warn consumers of the danger? It is farmers that are first at risk and then the rest of the population who consume the foods grown by farmers.

Lesson: If possible eat organically grown food or at least spray free. I find the farmer markets a good source.

Contact: Elaine Stoeckel – 0411 744 979 or email