WATCH: Why Vermont banned a controversial weed killer
Vermont this week became the first US state to ban paraquat, a widely used herbicide that researchers have linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.
weed killers
Groups cite potential “devastation” ahead of looming Supreme Court pesticide case
America could face foreign attacks, food shortages, and agricultural “devastation” if the US Supreme Court rules against Monsanto in a closely watched case over pesticide regulation that is set for arguments later this month, according to a series of legal briefs supporting the company.
WATCH: Syngenta to stop production of its paraquat weed killer
Our investigation with The Guardian previously uncovered internal company documents showing Syngenta knew for decades about research linking paraquat to Parkinson’s disease and sought to influence scientific research and public opinion.
Paraquat imports climb despite concerns about health impacts
The US has been importing increasing amounts of paraquat, a pesticide widely used in farming that is linked to Parkinson’s disease, even as other countries have banned the chemical amid growing concerns about risks to human and environmental health, according to the findings of a new report.
The unseen harvest: Pesticides, cancer and rural Missouri’s health crisis
KENNETT, MO. — Nestled in Missouri’s Bootheel is the small town of Kennett, the Dunklin County seat. With just over 10,000 residents, it’s a close-knit community where good-natured teasing is a common show of affection. Once a sprawling swampland, it has since been transformed into an expanse of flat, fertile fields where agriculture stands as the backbone of the region’s economy.
Q&A: A look at the “turf war” over regenerative agriculture
By Carey Gillam
Consumers looking for healthy foods grown without the use of chemicals have long been able to shop grocery aisle for products carrying an “organic” label, a designation associated with natural processes that focus on soil health, animal well-being, and protections of delicate ecosystems.
Despite critics, organic farming thrives in heart of US corn country
WEST BEND, Iowa – People searching for ways to limit the toll industrialized American agriculture takes on communities, land, and water may want to make a visit to Clear Creek Acres in northern Iowa.
Bayer’s new Roundup products appear more toxic than prior formulations, new report asserts
By Carey Gillam
New types of Roundup weed killing products marketed to US consumers contain chemicals that pose greater health risks to people than prior formulations suspected of causing cancer, according to an analysis by an environmental health advocacy group.
In bid to slash chemical use, robots take on farm fields
By Carey Gillam
Cheney, Kan. – On a sweltering summer day in central Kansas, farm fields shimmer in the heat as Clint Brauer watches a team of bright yellow robots churn up and down the rows, tirelessly slicing away any weeds that stand in their way while avoiding the growing crops.
Guest Column: Paraquat and the deliberate production of ignorance
Nearly 60 years ago, a chemical company found that skin exposure to very high doses of its weedkiller paraquat caused “weakness and incoordination” in rabbits.