What the...
BAYER’S NEW PLAN
An Herbicide that Works Like Chemotherapy
Monsanto seized the opportunity presented by the rise of Roundup-resistant “superweeds” to develop additional genetically engineered traits so crops like corn could soak up a wide range of herbicides, including 2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, and others such as imazamox, isoxaflutole, mesotrione, oxynil, sulfonylurea, and HPPD-inhibiting herbicides.
Farmers continue to struggle with herbicide-resistant weeds. So, Bayer, which bought Monsanto and retired its infamous name in 2018, is getting ready to roll out icafolin-methyl, its first new herbicide in over 30 years, one that the company says has “exceptional safety.” And, yes, they’re genetically engineering crops to tolerate it.
There’s no reason to believe Bayer that icafolin-methyl is safe, but as Claire Robinson of GMWatch conceded, “there’s little to no information available on its possible toxicity to humans or the environment.”
Icafolin-methyl’s mode of action could help us predict how it might impact human health, but what exactly that is is unclear. Robinson found an article published by Bayer scientists that “makes the remarkable admission that even they don’t understand how the herbicide works to kill plants.” They say it’s “probably by binding to ß-tubulins.”
Pharmaceuticals that target ß-tubulins are used in chemotherapy to treat cancer, a disease linked to glyphosate exposure. Will Bayer be poisoning eaters with one herbicide and “treat” them with another? Tubulin binders come with severe side effects, including toxicity to the brain and blood.
Bayer says icafolin-methyl kills weeds but is harmless to people. They told that lie about glyphosate. They expect us to believe them now?
TAKE ACTION: Tell Your State Legislators To Block Bayer’s New Icafolin-Methyl Herbicide and Genetically Engineered Crops!