GlyphosateGlyphosate is a sustainable plant choice used by farmers to safeguard our food supply for the future.

It’s not difficult to notice that the world is experiencing an the growth of population. By 2050, we’re expected to be 9.7 billion people in the world–over two billion more than today.1 Unfortunately, the world’s farmable land isn’t expanding with us. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110001713181 This presents significant challenges for farmers that are accountable for providing food of high-quality for Canadians, and other people worldwide.

http://www.cerij.or.jp/service/09_chromatography/L-column_application_data/L2126.pdf Canada is currently 5th in global food exports.2 Canadian farmers will play crucial roles in providing the food we need. They will face greater demands than ever and also need to control pests, diseases and changes in weather to ensure that their soil is healthy and productive for the generations to come.

To meet increasing demands, farmers will need to produce 70% more food in 2050. * Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , How to provide for the world’s population by 2050

Farmers aren’t prepared to deal the increasing demand. The latest technology and tools, such as herbicides like glyphosate, can be utilized to assist farmers to effectively and precisely manage weeds, that results in a more secure and sustainable food supply.

What is the exact meaning of Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is a versatile and non-selective herbicide, has been utilized by land managers, gardeners and farmers all over the globe for over 40 years. It does this by blocking an enzyme which plants–in this case, unwanted weeds–need to grow. Glyphosate is completely safe for humans and animals if used correctly.

Glyphosate can also be used for many other purposes other than agriculture. Municipalities use the chemical in their urban green spaces to shield the wildlife and the public from toxic weeds.6 It’s also used on railways to maintain the visibility of train conductors and stop fires from spreading across the tracks.7

Recently, there has been an increase in attention paid to the use of glyphosate throughout our daily life. While it’s essential for us to ask questions about the food we consume but it’s important to note the fact that more than 160 international regulatory agencies (including Health Canada) agree that glyphosate can be safely used when it is done properly.

グリホサート Canadians will be better able to comprehend the effects of glyphosate and how it operates, and why it is essential for the production of food.

Glyphosate: What is the reason it’s used in agriculture?

https://www.jacom.or.jp/nouyaku/news/2020/05/200519-44387.php Glyphosate-based herbicides can benefit consumers, farmers, as well as the environment. It is crucial for efficient weed suppression, sustainable food supply, as well as environmental sustainability. Let’s take a look at each of these benefits in more detail.

グリホサート Globally, farmers are losing between 30-40% and 40% of their crops due to diseases, pests, and weeds.9 According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) this losses could increase by a third if crop protection techniques are not used. This is a significant cost for farmers, especially considering their crops as their livelihood.

Therefore, it’s no wonder that farmers have come to depend on tools they can rely on, year in and year out. Glyphosate can be a useful tool to control destructive weeds in fields, especially when they’re resistant to glyphosate.

Crops vs. weeds–the battle of their existence

Glyphosate can give the crops a fighting chance.

グリホサート Canadians and other shoppers around all over the world enjoy the benefits of abundant, inexpensive food choices

The population is growing, and the majority of the land that is used for food production is in danger because of land degradation and desertification.10 This is leading towards increasing food security. Canadians might pay 55% more for food if they don’t have modern farming technologies like Glyphosate.

In addition, our favourite foods will be more difficult to obtain. However, the great news is that farmers are able to continue to produce our most loved food items thanks to the science of breeding plants.

グリホサート Glyphosate isn’t just used to in removing weeds and maintain the price of food items at the store However, it also helps to keep produce at a reasonable price. It aids farmers in caring for what Cherilyn Jolly Nagle is an Saskatchewan farmer who calls “their most valuable asset” that is their land.

Keep the food we love on the tables

When crop protection tools like glyphosate and others are employed to guard crops from pests and diseases, farmers are able to grow:

42% more grain such as corn and wheat

72% more fruit

83 percent more potatoes and more vegetables12

The benefits are clear. But is glyphosate safe?

The answer is yes. As with any pesticide, it must always be used in accordance to the label directions. Canada regulates glyphosate usage by two organizations that are the Canadian Food Inspection Agency(CFIA), which examines the crops and ensures that they’re free of residual pesticides. The Pest Management and Regulation Agency (PMRA) provides the regulatory guidelines and product submission evaluations.

While regulatory agencies make sure farmers use approved herbicides properly producers and farmers contribute to ensuring glyphosate is used in a safe and appropriate manner to ensure there are no potential harms to the environment, animals or humans.

Additionally, precision agriculture has enabled farmers to make use of data and increase their ability to apply glyphosate to the exact locations and amounts.

It is not common for pesticide residue to be discovered in food. However, it could still cause harm in the event that it is. The CFIA makes sure that farmers apply herbicides properly and work within established residue limits.16 On the rare occasions that it is found in small amounts (e.g., 1 part per billion), it is well lower than the limit set by the Government of Canada, and is not a safety or health concern17 as it would not cause any harm to humans or animals.18

Sustainable farming practices include the use of Glyphosate

Farmers utilize herbicides, such as glyphosate, as part of an integrated pest/weed management practices–meaning they employ more than herbicides to manage the weeds. Glyphosate enabled farmers to implement conservation methods and no-till practices that offer long-term benefit for the soil and the air.

– A reduction or the elimination of tilling or plowing of the land

– Reducing CO2 emissions

Capturing carbon out of the soil

– Improve soil health

– Limiting erosion and water runoff

“No pesticide regulator authority in the world currently considers the glyphosate as a cancer risk to humans at the present levels to which they are exposed.” — Health Canada, January 11 2019.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , How to provide for the world’s population by 2050

Making sure Canadian farmers are equipped with the technology, tools and resources they require to meet the growing demand for food supplies of an increasing population is more important now than ever before.

We can expect farmers to continue to preserve the safety and quality of our food by adhering to good agricultural and food safety and insect management practices. Glyphosate is but one of many tools they’ll employ to ensure that Canadians and others around the globe can access healthy and affordable food, both now and in the near future.