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12 farmer tweets show why glyphosate is vital

Philip Case 03 November 2017
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Farmers have been posting scores of messages and photos on Twitter to explain to the public why glyphosate is essential for conservation agriculture and food production.

This Thursday (9 November), EU member states are scheduled to vote on a proposal to extend glyphosate’s licence for five years.

Under intensive lobbying from green groups who want the agrochemical to be banned, farmers are hitting back by explaining the vital role glyphosate has in UK and global agriculture by posting on Twitter using the hashtag #glyphosateisvital

See also: Video – farmers explain why glyphosate is vital

Using glyphosate weedkiller helps farmers cut greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need for the plough and diesel consumption.

It enables farmers to grow cover crops to protect soils and food crops that help produce safe, affordable, high-quality food. Without it, yields will fall, more land would be needed to grow food and food prices would rise.

‘Science, not politics’

Farmers are disappointed that the European Commission has decided to water down a proposal to relicense glyphosate for 10 years to five years, amid intense lobbying from green groups that have questioned the safety of the pesticide.

But NFU vice-president Guy Smith said: “These decisions must be based on science and evidence, not politics, and the overwhelming weight of science and evidence shows glyphosate is safe.”

Here are a dozen farmer tweets to remind EU member states of the vitally important role glyphosate has in conservation agriculture:

https://twitter.com/knudstrupgaard/status/922890681009438720

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