CORPORATIONS

In Argentina, glyphosate-resistant Johnsongrass, one of the worst weed species in the world, appeared
in 2007 on over 120,000 hectares of agricultural land. Agricultural officials suggested using a mix of
herbicides other than glyphosate to control the Johnson grass. 958
Scientists have noted that the primary reason for the explosion in GR weeds is the widespread use of
glyphosate in RR crops of soybean, cotton and maize. As two scientists pointed out in 2008, Most of the
documented cases of evolved GR weeds in the past 6 years have been in GR crops. 959
The response to the huge increase in GR weeds is to increase the use of glyphosate, as previously
noted, and to use it in combination with other toxic herbicides. Data from the US Department of
Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service show that 2,4-D applications on soybean more than
doubled between 2005 and 2006, going from 1.73 million pounds to 3.67 million pounds. 960 Indeed,
the response of the pesticide/genetic engineering companies is to develop crops with engineered
resistance to multiple herbicides, known as gene stacking. Monsanto’s recently released SmartStax
corn has resistance to both glyphosate and glufosinate (manufactured by Bayer). In the US, there
are pending applications for Monsanto’s soybean MON 87708-9, with resistance to glyphosate and
dicamba; Dow’s soybean DAS-68416-4, with resistance to glyphosate, glufosinate, and 2,4-D; Dow’s
maize DAS-40278-9, with resistance to 2,4-D and glyphosate; and Bayer’s soybean FG72, with resistance
glyphosate and glufosinate. 961
Thus, we see a return to more toxic herbicides such as 2,4-D, which was part of the infamous Agent
Orange used during the Vietnam war, and which has been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
a cancer of the blood system. 962 Dicamba, a close chemical cousin to 2,4-D, has also been linked to
both non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and to colon cancer. Glyphosate was once considered fairly benign,
but epidemiology studies have linked it to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, 963 multiple myeloma, 964 and
increased levels of premature births and miscarriages in women whose husbands uses pesticides,
such as glyphosate and 2,4-D. 965 An epidemiological study in Ecuador found a higher degree of DNA
damage in people living in an area that was aerially sprayed with glyphosate compared with those
living 80 kilometres away. 966 DNA damage can ultimately lead to cancer or birth defects.
There is also evidence that links glyphosate with birth defects. A rat study from 2003 found a statistically
significant, dose-dependent increase in defects of the skull (‘incomplete skull ossification and enlarged
fontanel’). 967 A tadpole study from 2003 found glyphosate formulations cause craniofacial and mouth
deformities, eye abnormalities and bent curved tails. 968 An epidemiological study from 2009 in an area
958 Friends of the Earth International, 2009, Op cit.
959 Duke SO, Powles SB. 2008. Glyphosate: a once in a century herbicide. Pest Management Science, 64:319-325.
960 Benbrook, 2009, Op cit.
961 See http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/not_reg.html
962 Eriksson M, Hardell L, Carlberg M, Akerman M. 2008. Pesticide exposure as a risk factor for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
including histopathological subgroup analysis. International Journal of Cancer 123:1657-1663.
963 Ibid.
964 De Roos AJD, Blair A, Rusiecki JA, Hoppin JA, Svec M, Dosemeci M, Sandler DP, Alavanja MC. 2005. Cancer incidence
among glyphosate-exposed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Environmental Health Perspectives
113(1): 49-54.
965 Savitz DA, Arbuckle T, Kaczor D, Curtis KM. 1997. Male pesticide applicators and pregnancy outcome. American Journal of
Epidemiology 146:1025-1036.
966 Paz-y-Miño C, Sánchez ME, Arévalo M, Muñoz MJ, Witte T, De-la-Carrera GO, Leone PE. 2007. Evaluation of DNA damage
in an Ecuadorian population exposed to glyphosate. Genetics and Molecular Biology 30:456-460.
967 Dallegrave E, Mantese FD, Coelho RS, Pereira JD, Dalsenter PR, Langeloh A. 2003. The teratogenic potential of the
herbicide glyphosate-Roundup in Wistar rats. Toxicology Letters 142(1-2):48.
968 Lajmanovich RC, Sandoval MT, Peltzer PM. 2003. Induction of mortality and malformation in Scinax nasicus tadpoles
exposed to glyphosate formulations. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and. Toxicology 70: 612-618.
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