Washington: (Web Desk) – US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an executive order aimed at bolstering domestic production of the herbicide glyphosate, emphasizing its importance to American food security despite health concerns surrounding the chemical.
The White House noted that glyphosate-based herbicides are widely used in US agriculture, but there is currently only one domestic producer, making imports necessary to meet demand. The order directs the US Secretary of Agriculture to take steps to facilitate the production of glyphosate and phosphorus, a key chemical component in glyphosate that also has military applications.
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While the US Environmental Protection Agency does not classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, the International Agency for Research on Cancer—part of the World Health Organization—labels it a “probable carcinogen.”
The move comes as German agrichemical company Bayer revealed that its subsidiary Monsanto proposed a $7.25 billion class settlement to resolve lawsuits claiming its glyphosate product Roundup causes blood cancer. Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear Bayer’s appeal over a $1.25 million award to a Missouri man who alleged Roundup caused his blood cancer.
The executive order signals the administration’s focus on reducing reliance on imports while supporting domestic chemical and agricultural industries, despite ongoing legal and health debates surrounding glyphosate.
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