Opening the floodgates on glyphosate

Glyphosate, a chemical in many leading pesticide brands, has been in the hot seat, especially when a new executive order protects Bayer

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There has been almost a quarter-century-long debate about the safety of herbicides, especially as an environmental solution to prior agricultural techniques that compromised the health of soil, plants, and surrounding wildlife. Glyphosate, a chemical in many leading pesticide brands, has been in the hot seat. Glyphosate is commonly used on crops such as soybeans and corn, and kills unwanted flora by blocking 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) enzymes which hinder the production of amino acids. When used in industrial settings, glyphosate poses a direct risk to not only surrounding neighborhoods but also communities as a whole through the contamination of rivers and streams which have the potential to affect watersheds on the large-scale.

Since the development in the 1972 of the first glyphosate-based pesticide, Roundup, by a corporation called Monsanto, the product has been used all over the world and can even be found in traces of water, soil, and food products. In 2015, a finding from World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that there was a positive association of the exposure of the chemical and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that can cause chronic immune suppression, cardiovascular issues, and increased risks to infection.

Many studies have been done by researchers in the United States and abroad in order to assess the impact this chemical has on human health. A meta-analysis published by Dennis Weisenburger, affiliated with the Department of Pathology in the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, examined a positive link between exposure to glyphosate and the prevalence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma across scientific studies conducted by research teams in the United States and Western Europe.

Following these findings, a wave of litigation against Monsanto began in what was known as the Monsanto Trials in 2018. The majority of the cases that arose during this multi-district litigation were related to the fault of Monsanto for not adequately labeling their products with the associated risks to cancer development. Because of this non-disclosed risk factor, many of the victims were able to receive millions of dollars in compensation for their claims across many different states.

However, the courtrooms officially closed their doors to these cases after the recent executive order aiming to protect glyphosate, and the chemical industry as a whole. On Feb. 18, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order titled “Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides,” which states that glyphosate-based pesticides are essential to the United States’ economy and, therefore, must be protected.

This order also allows for the immunity of Monsanto, now known as Bayer, from any potential liability or wrongdoing, and makes the claim that there is no evidence that glyphosate is linked to cancer as a national truth.

This decision has caused outrage within environmental organizations, health advocacy groups, and concerned communities, doctors, and representatives. Moms Across America, a nonprofit organization that typically stands by President Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again,” serves as an example. Their outrage stems from the fact that they have called for the complete ban of the chemical on many occasions. The frustration is also directed at Robert F Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who historically fought against the usage of pesticides but supported President Trump in his decision to maximize glyphosate’s usage in the United States.

In Congress, Kentucky GOP Representative Thomas Massie announced his sponsorship of a bill titled “No Immunity for Glyphosate Act” in order to counter the recent executive order that keeps Bayer safe from liability. Additionally, the Environmental Working Group has been utilizing petitions since 2019, in collaboration with other companies, in order to minimize the amount of glyphosate consumption by children through strategic research on commonly-consumed products for the demographic, such as oats.

President Trump’s  executive order, despite the rhetoric that was used to frame it, will continue to concern American communities regarding the safety of their water, air, and food supplies.

References:

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12. "Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate Based Herbicides." The White House. Last modified February 18, 2026. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/promoting-the-national-defense-by-ensuring-an-adequate-supply-of-elemental-phosphorus-and-glyphosate-based-herbicides/.

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14. Ruprecht, Michal. "What to Know about Glyphosate, the Herbicide behind a Trump Executive Order That's Angered MAHA Moms." CNN. Last modified February 24, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/24/health/maha-trump-glyphosate-health.

15. Singh, Reenu, Akanksha Shukla, Gurdeep Kaur, Madhuri Girdhar, Tabarak Malik, and Anand Mohan. "Systemic Analysis of Glyphosate Impact on Environment and Human Health." National Library of Medicine. Last modified January 30, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10870391/.

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18. Weisenburger DD. A Review and Update with Perspective of Evidence that the Herbicide Glyphosate (Roundup) is a Cause of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2021 Sep;21(9):621-630. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2021.04.009. Epub 2021 Apr 24. PMID: 34052177.