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More than half of non-organically grown foods and crops are treated with glyphosate in America’s agriculture. In addition, most foods like oats, corn, and wheat we consume daily have glyphosate residues.
This raises concerns because many people have suffered severe health problems and side effects from glyphosate and Roundup dietary exposure.
This article will cover which crops have the most glyphosate and highlight the dangers and symptoms of exposure to this chemical.
If you suffered consequences from glyphosate or Roundup exposure and want a recognized law firm like Schmidt & Clark, LLP, to represent you, you can book a free consultation.
Table Of Contents
Quick Summary
- Most genetically engineered crops are heavily sprayed with glyphosate.
- Cherries are treated with the most significant amount of glyphosate for every acre.
- Only The Detox Project label guarantees glyphosate-free food and crops.
- Severe side effects such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma may result from extreme glyphosate exposure.
What Crops Is Glyphosate Sprayed On?
Glyphosate is sprayed on crops that include genetically engineered oats, corn, wheat, and soybeans before harvesting.
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum non-selective herbicide used primarily for controlling and killing broad-leaf weeds and grasses.
Weed killers like Roundup and glyphosate are mainly used on farmland acres where oats, wheat, cotton, and fruits grow.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested randomly selected acres of farmland for pesticide residue and found glyphosate residues on a wide variety of crops.
Some of those crops include soybeans, oats, grapes, cranberries, oranges, raisins, cherries, apples, and beans.
Studies have shown that while spraying glyphosate on crops, people suffer from extreme exposure and might experience side effects or even develop cancer [1].
Related Article: Glyphosate Lawsuit Update
What Crops Have the Most Glyphosate?
Crops that have the most glyphosate are wheat bran, canola, cherries, corn, and cotton.
In addition, fruits like strawberries, cherries, and raspberries are among the most widely glyphosate-sprayed crops in the U.S. More precisely, per acre, cherries are treated with 300 pounds of glyphosate on average.
This amount of glyphosate has been shown to cause severe health problems such as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
However, cherries are not the most glyphosate-exposed food. Non-organic wheat bran has up to 4000 ppb of glyphosate residue levels.
To protect yourself from foods with high glyphosate levels, you need to know which foods are most exposed to glyphosate.
Most of the time, foods with high glyphosate exposure have high levels of glyphosate residues, but that isn’t always the case.
Here are some foods containing significant amounts of glyphosate residues:
- Apples
- Almonds
- Canola
- Asparagus
- Corn
- Cherries
- Cotton
- Dates
- Corn
More than half of the total amount of non-organically grown foods from the list above have been treated with glyphosate [2].
Why Do Farmers Use Glyphosate-Based Herbicides?
Farmers use glyphosate-based herbicides to control and kill weeds more effectively. To date, no other weed and grass control herbicides offer the same level of practical and economic effectiveness.
Farmers lose up to 40% of their crops to pests, weeds, and disease. In addition, farmers avoid these losses by using the best crop protection practices.
Glyphosate-based herbicides are the most effective and least costly option for killing weeds. Applying glyphosate to crops is easy, effective, and economical. However, it may lead to serious side effects and health problems.
The most controversial glyphosate-based herbicide is Roundup, manufactured by Bayer, a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company [3]. Over a thousand lawsuits have been filed against Bayer in the last ten years, and many are already settled.
Related Article: Roundup Lawsuits Update
Glyphosate Side Effects
Some of the ways to get in contact with glyphosate are by touching, swallowing, or inhaling the chemical [4].
Short-term side effects of glyphosate and pesticide residues are:
- Skin irritation
- Eye irritation
- Throat/nose irritation
- Burns in the throat/mouth
- Increased saliva
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
The severity of side effects is based on how individuals were exposed to the chemical. Also, the duration of exposure plays a significant role too.
Some of the more serious side effects are:
- Leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- B-cell lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Kidney cancer
- Bone cancer
- Pancreatic islet cell tumors
- Skin tumors
The primary reason glyphosate is bad for human health is its content of formulants. The most dangerous formulant is POEA, a petroleum-based oxidized molecule.
In one of the studies, scientists concluded that exposing human cells to the components of glyphosate formulations is toxic and bad for human health [5]. Also, in the same study, scientists identified heavy metals such as chromium, arsenic, and cobalt, which are known to be toxic to humans and their endocrine system.
Does Glyphosate Cause Cancer?
Glyphosate likely causes cancer. This is because exposing yourself to glyphosate-based herbicides or glyphosate residues increases the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The European Food Safety Authority agree that there is no sufficient evidence to support the claim that glyphosate residues cause cancer in humans. Also, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) approved glyphosate use until 15 December 2022.
However, The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer disagrees.
In 2015, they stated that glyphosate is probably a human carcinogen. In 2019, researchers from The University of Washington concluded that glyphosate use increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by more than 40% [6].
Reason for the Recall
The main reason to initiate a glyphosate recall is that it is bad for human health and linked to cancer. One of the most popular weed killers, Roundup, contains large percentages of glyphosate.
Roundup and glyphosate have been linked to cancer types such as:
Over a thousand Roundup lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, a German pharmaceutical and biotechnology company. Lawsuits against Bayer tried to prove a connection between the exposure of Roundup and the development of the NHL.
In addition, a large corpus of studies in the last 8 years has shown that high exposure to glyphosate increases the risk of developing different forms of cancer.
What Is the Burden of Proof During a Roundup Claim?
If you are experiencing health problems because of the glyphosate in Roundup, you may have grounds for a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturing company.
Glyphosate may be responsible for your illness or a loved one’s death due to the failure to warn customers of a known risk.
To hold a Roundup company liable for your damages, you must gather sufficient evidence to prove three key elements:
- You will need to prove that the product you used contained a defect. This can be a defect in its makeup, design, manufacture, distribution, or marketing. Roundup might be dangerous if the company fails to place proper warnings on the product’s container. Therefore, any of the chemical’s potential effects must be visible.
- You must prove that the defective drug, in this case, Roundup, is the main cause of your injury or illness. Your attorney must establish a causal link between the defective medication and the health complication in question. Essentially, you must gather all documents that prove Roundup is the main cause of your illness.
- Finally, you must prove that you suffered damages from using Roundup. You must have proof of compensable damages related to the product, such as bills or wrongful death. Your attorney can inform you of the damages you may qualify for and help gather the necessary evidence to prove them.
Average Settlement
The average settlement for a glyphosate lawsuit is anywhere between $5,000 and $250,000 in compensation.
However, every lawsuit is different. The severity of related illnesses heavily influences the compensation rate, and the extent of the exposure also plays a major factor.
Related Articles:
See all related toxic tort lawsuits our lawyers covered so far.
FAQs
Why Is Glyphosate Sprayed on Crops Right Before Harvest?
Glyphosate is sprayed on crops right before harvest to dry them faster. This speeds up the crop-dying process and allows farmers to clear the field before the onset of bad weather.
Is Glyphosate Contaminating Foods With a Certified Organic Label?
No, glyphosate is not contaminating foods with a Certified Organic label. However, to be 100% sure there is no environmental contamination, look for the Detox Project label.
Why Are High Levels of Glyphosate Showing Up on Oats?
High levels of glyphosate are showing up on oats because farmers spray them with glyphosate heavily to harvest them faster.
Do You Have a Roundup Claim?
Most crops, such as GMO corn, oats, wheat, and soybeans, contain high levels of glyphosate.
While farmers may experience severe health problems from glyphosate or Roundup exposure, consumers are also in danger from dietary exposure.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia after exposure to Roundup, book a free lawsuit evaluation with Schmidt & Clark, LLP Roundup Attorneys/Lawyers.
References:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010021001281
- https://www.mygenefood.com/blog/why-glyphosate-is-dangerous-and-how-to-avoid-eating-it/
- https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-016-0117-0
- http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphogen.html
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29321978/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383574218300887
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