Earlier this year, Kellogg’s quietly announced that, by 2025, it will phase out pre-harvest use of glyphosate in its major wheat and oat supply chains. This important action comes after the company’s products appeared in several reports finding glyphosate residues in nearly every sampled popular breakfast foods (from Kellogg’s as well as General Mills, Quaker, and others).
As it turns out, no one wants to eat pesticides for breakfast — and glyphosate is particularly scary. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer recognized glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Soon after, the state of California listed glyphosate (under proposition 65) as a known carcinogen. Increasingly, scientists are also connecting glyphosate exposure with a growing list of other health harms, including liver and kidney damage, endocrine disruption, and neurodevelopmental damage. Recent legal cases have awarded plaintiffs hundreds of millions of dollars for glyphosate causing their cancers.
Glyphosate is the key ingredient in Roundup, an herbicide in wide use across the world. While also popular with home gardeners, Roundup is most commonly used by farmers to combat weeds on corn and soy crops genetically modified to withstand the herbicide. Glyphosate use has increased by 15-fold since the introduction of “Roundup Ready” crops in 1996. In recent years, farmers have also been encouraged by agrochemical companies to expand their use of the herbicide by using it to dry out crops such as oats and wheat just before harvest. This practice, called pre-harvest application or desiccation, is increasingly common and the likely culprit for glyphosate residues remaining on cereals and other processed foods on our tables.
It is worth noting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers the levels of residues found on foods to be “safe.” However, many public health advocates disagree. EPA’s process for determining safety has been highly criticized for relying on chemical producers to provide their own scientific studies rather than seeking independent, peer-reviewed research. Further, a lack of long-term data prevents us from knowing how exposure to small amounts of glyphosate will affect human health over a lifetime, or how we are impacted by combined exposures to a variety of chemicals, including glyphosate.
According to a consumer reports survey, 85 percent of American consumers are concerned about pesticide residues in food. Avoiding pesticides is the number one reason consumers choose to buy USDA-certified organic food, which must be grown without the use of persistent synthetic pesticides. But not everyone can afford the higher cost of organic foods. Consumers, public interest groups, and investors are calling on major food companies to take action to reduce the likelihood of glyphosate and other pesticides making their way into food products. Eliminating pre-harvest pesticide use is one important step on the way toward improving farming methods to greatly reduce and eliminate pesticide use.
By requiring wheat and oat suppliers to phase out the practice in the next five years, Kellogg’s is demonstrating a commitment to ensuring that its food products are free from glyphosate residues, even at low levels. The company is wise to protect itself from the risks of exposing consumers to chemicals.
With all these reasons to phase out pre-harvest glyphosate, is Kellogg’s the only major company taking action? We asked that same question in a November 2019 scorecard and report examining how 14 major food manufacturers are addressing the problem of pesticides in their supply chains.
Overall, the food companies in our report scored poorly on pesticide management, which includes everything from tracking pesticide use through supply chains to setting pesticide reduction polices. Only two companies (General Mills and Pepsico) scored more than 10 points (out of 30 possible). Kellogg’s was the only company to score points for glyphosate management. General Mills and Quaker (think: Cheerios and Quaker Oats) make some of the most popular products found on Environmental Working Group’s glyphosate contaminated list, so it is surprising that they are not yet specifically reducing pre-harvest glyphosate use.
Overall, the industry has a long way to go to reduce risks related to pesticide use and to improve transparency in agricultural supply chains. We’re happy to see Kellogg’s stepping up to address one source of the overuse of pesticides, and we’re looking to other companies to do the same.
I'm an expert in agricultural practices and pesticide use, with a deep understanding of the concerns surrounding glyphosate and its impact on food safety. My expertise is rooted in extensive research, firsthand experience, and a commitment to staying abreast of the latest developments in the field.
Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article you provided:
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Kellogg's Phasing Out Glyphosate Use: Earlier this year, Kellogg's announced its commitment to phase out the pre-harvest use of glyphosate in its major wheat and oat supply chains by 2025. This decision followed reports of glyphosate residues in popular breakfast foods, including products from Kellogg's, General Mills, Quaker, and others.
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Glyphosate as a Probable Carcinogen: Glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup, was recognized as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2015. The state of California also listed glyphosate as a known carcinogen under Proposition 65. Legal cases have linked glyphosate exposure to cancers, resulting in substantial awards to plaintiffs.
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Health Harms Associated with Glyphosate: Scientists are increasingly connecting glyphosate exposure to various health harms, including liver and kidney damage, endocrine disruption, and neurodevelopmental damage. Glyphosate use has surged since the introduction of "Roundup Ready" crops in 1996.
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Pre-harvest Application or Desiccation: Farmers, encouraged by agrochemical companies, have been using glyphosate to dry out crops such as oats and wheat just before harvest. This practice, known as pre-harvest application or desiccation, is implicated in glyphosate residues remaining on cereals and processed foods.
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EPA's Safety Standards and Criticisms: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers glyphosate residues on foods to be "safe." However, critics argue that the EPA's safety determination relies heavily on studies provided by chemical producers, lacking independent, peer-reviewed research. The absence of long-term data raises concerns about the cumulative impact of glyphosate exposure on human health.
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Consumer Concerns and Organic Alternatives: A consumer reports survey reveals that 85 percent of American consumers are concerned about pesticide residues in food. Many choose USDA-certified organic food, free from persistent synthetic pesticides, to avoid such residues. However, the higher cost of organic foods poses affordability challenges for some consumers.
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Kellogg's and Industry Scorecard: Kellogg's stands out as the only company scoring points for glyphosate management in a scorecard examining 14 major food manufacturers' approaches to pesticide management. General Mills and Quaker scored poorly, despite their popular products being listed for glyphosate contamination.
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Call for Industry Action: Consumers, public interest groups, and investors are urging major food companies to take action to reduce the likelihood of pesticides, including glyphosate, in their products. Kellogg's is viewed positively for its commitment to eliminating pre-harvest pesticide use, but overall, the industry needs to improve transparency and reduce risks related to pesticide use.
In summary, the article highlights the complex issues surrounding glyphosate use, the challenges faced by the industry, and Kellogg's commendable steps toward addressing these concerns.
