A recent article on the New York Times website noted a judge has ordered that certain court documents be unsealed that indicate that there has been much internal discussion within Monsanto and the EPA about the safety of Monsanto's product Roundup®. One key ingredient in this herbicide is glyphosate, which has been linked to non-Hodgkins lymphoma, based on some research done by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of the World Health Organization .
Gabe and Paul Brown are farmers in North Dakota who do not use glyphosates or GMO's on the Brown Ranch. As they note: "We believe in and practice Holistic Management, a part of which is farming and ranching in nature’s image. We strive to solve problems in a natural and sustainable way. Improving soil health is a priority and no-till farming has been practiced since 1993. A diverse cropping strategy, which includes cover and companion crops are used. We have now eliminated the use of synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides. We use minimal herbicide and are striving to eliminate it."
In a case study written by ATTRA they note that Gabe cut his synthetic fertilizer use by 90% and his herbicide use by 75%. Through a combination of moving toward no-till practices, planting cover crops, and integrating livestock in his cropping practices, Gabe has increased organic matter to 6% or more in his fields. To read more about what the Brown's have achieved in increasing their soil health naturally, read this case study.
While the EPA and Monsanto have argued that Roundup is safe for the food consumer, there is other research that suggest otherwise. For example, an article in Scientific American notes research shows that the inert ingredients in Roundup® kills human cells, particularly embryonic and placental cells. Given that Roundup® is one of the most widely used herbicides in America, this research suggests there are a lot of pregnant women that could be putting their fetuses at risk by eating conventionally grown food.
At HMI we train farmers and ranchers to work with nature to improve land resilience and regenerate the natural resources they steward as agricultural producers. Learn more about how Holistic Management is the Regenerative Solution. Please consider an investment in regenerative agriculture by donating to HMI. Together we can create healthy land, healthy food, and healthy lives.
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