Campaigners Push to Ban Glyphosate Use on Crops Before Harvest

The BBC Business reported Sunday that UK campaigners are pushing the government to prohibit the use of the weedkiller glyphosate as a crop-drying agent in the weeks before harvest, warning that food products including bread, cereals, and beer may carry chemical residues.

Soil Association Launches Formal Campaign

The Soil Association launched the initiative Wednesday, timed to precede an upcoming public consultation by the Health and Safety Executive. The current licence permitting glyphosate use on British crops expires in December 2026. Farmer and Riverford Organic Farmers founder Guy Singh-Watson told BBC Radio 4 the campaign is not seeking a complete domestic ban. Rather, he said, the focus is the practice of spraying glyphosate onto standing crops just days before harvest. He described that application method as a relatively recent development, disputing claims it is indispensable to UK cereal farming.

Farming Industry Pushes Back

Not all agricultural voices agree. Dave Bell, chair of the Voluntary Initiative for Plant Protection, told Radio 4 that glyphosate helps him maintain soil health, cut diesel consumption, and reduce reliance on other weed-management methods. The National Farmers Union also supports continued access to the chemical, including its pre-harvest role. NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins called it an essential tool that assists with harvesting, weed control, and disease reduction. He said he wants any forthcoming UK review to extend glyphosate approval for a full 15 years.

Background: A Long-Running Regulatory Debate

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s. Its patent lapsed in 2000 and it is now manufactured by multiple companies. Bayer, the German life-sciences group that acquired Monsanto, says no regulatory authority has classified glyphosate as carcinogenic. A company spokesperson argued the chemical protects crop yields and can reduce fossil fuel use for grain drying. Critics, however, point to a 2015 finding by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.” Multiple other regulators have nonetheless maintained it is safe at permitted levels. The European Union banned its pre-harvest use in 2023, though the chemical remains licensed for other agricultural applications on the continent.

What Happens Next

The HSE will open a two-month public consultation later this summer, weighing new scientific, technical, and regulatory evidence before deciding whether to renew approval. The government’s current position holds that the product is strictly regulated and authorised only where evidence supports safety. The outcome will carry significant commercial weight for UK cereal farmers and food manufacturers alike.

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