Glyphosate

Farmers reach for glyphosate, a non-selective systemic herbicide, when deep-rooted perennials, annual and biennial grasses and broad-leaved weeds threaten a wide range of crops. Beyond weed control it serves as a pre-harvest desiccant for cereals and legumes, and some regions use it around fruit trees. The US Environmental Protection Agency places it in its slightly toxic category, Class III. Food residues are capped by maximum limits, and the compound’s safety rating has been hotly contested between agencies, making it an emblem of the clash between farm productivity and consumer confidence.