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Peak bodies push back against glyphosate debate
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Common weed killer RoundUp is sparking debate again, after an ABC Four Corners broadcast made the claim that RoundUp’s active ingredient glyphosate may contribute to cancer. Agricultural peak bodies have responded by calling for the debate to be based on the informed scientific evidence that suggests glyphosate-based products are safe.
Titled ‘The Monsanto Papers’ and broadcast on Monday night, the Four Corners episode centred around the alleged cover up of evidence linking the usage of glyphosate and the onset of cancer by RoundUp manufacturer Monsanto.
“Monsanto has engaged in a systematic and deliberate campaign to attack any science that says their product is not safe and to attack any scientist that has the courage to say something,” one lawyer remarks.
This follows a landmark US court case in August, where Monsanto was ordered to pay US$289 million in compensation to former school groundskeeper DeWayne Johnson. Johnson was diagnosed with terminal cancer (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) at age 42 in 2014, and accused the company of knowingly withholding information of the dangers of the weed killer. He is one amongst thousands of people currently suing the agrochemical giant.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in leading weed killer RoundUp, and is used commonly by families, farmers and gardeners across the globe. It is an important tool that allows allows farmers to manage weeds and improve crop protection, without which over two thirds of Australia’s crop production – totalling $20.6 billion – would be lost. The weed killer also reduces the need for farmers to till and plough the soil, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining soil health and moisture.
Glyphosate was first approved for use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) in 1974. It has since been the subject of over 800 scientific studies and reviews that have found no causal links between glyphosate usage and cancer, including an in-depth scientific assessment led by the APVMA in 2016.
As such, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and Grain Producers Australia are pushing back against calls for further reviews. They state that the claims put forth by the Four Corners report – and the subsequent public alarm – are hinged on opinion rather than established scientific fact and evidence.
In her response to ‘The Monsanto Papers’, president of the NFF Fiona Simson expresses that the scientific evidence supporting glyphosate’s safety is overwhelming.
“There is simply no alternative, that is as safe and as effective as glyphosate, for these purposes,” Ms. Simson said. “It is essential we trust the science and preserve safe, effective tools such as glyphosate, that protect our environment and allow us to grow the produce we need to feed an increasingly hungry world.”
Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, also issued a statement backing the APVMA.
“The weight of the objective scientific evidence shows when used in accordance with label instructions, glyphosate can be used safely,” he said.
By: Carla Wong
NEWS
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Trace minerals are required for optimal growth, reproduction, and immunity. Optimising trace mineral status relying solely on oral supplements across a herd may fail because of variation in individual intake and reduced absorption due to antagonism of other ration components and minerals. The use of injectable trace mineral supplements has been associated with positive reproductive outcomes including improved conception rate, increased odds of pregnancy and greater final in calf rate. A study conducted on 2,168 dairy cows, administered injectable trace minerals, four weeks prior to calving and again four weeks prior to the start of mating showed treated animals had a 3.3 per cent greater final in-calf rate, and a reduced time from start of mating to conception, compared to control animals 1 . The Importance of B12 Dr Carl Eden, Technical Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim says “Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as a ‘super vitamin’ because it is only required in very small amounts but vital to many essential metabolic pathways. However, demand for B12 can vary considerably during the year and we see serum levels of B12 fall at critical times, such as the first few months after calving.” Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, so deficiency in cobalt can lead to deficiency in vitamin B12 because ruminants get most of their B12 as a byproduct of ruminal fermentation where the bacteria in their rumen assemble B12 from cobalt for use by the cow. Sub-optimal trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at calving, mating, and drying off has been shown to negatively impact growth, reproduction, and immunity. Using a trace mineral injectable containing vitamin B12 can improve trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at these critical times. Marks-Min with Vitamin B12 – The Evidence In the largest trace element study to date, Marks-Min Injectable Trace Mineral with Vitamin B12 demonstrated remarkable results when compared to a reference trace mineral injection. “Given the differences between Marks-Min and other products on the market, we wanted to generate a compelling data set to demonstrate how effective it was compared to the pioneer product. We entrusted this work to a third-party research company” says Dr Eden. “We chose farms that were at the top of their game from a reproductive perspective. We made sure that the farms had no evidence of trace element or vitamin B12 deficiencies or excess.” Across all outcomes of interest, Marks-Min demonstrated clear non-inferiority when compared to the reference product. Outcomes measured included submission, pregnancy and conception rates, and six week in-calf rate. Marks-Min demonstrated it is highly suited as an alternative treatment to the reference product. Reference: 1. Hawkins, D., and B. V. S. Franklin. New Zealand Dairy Veterinarians Newsletter 24 (2007): 12-16 Company website: livestockfirst.com.au Company email address: CustomerCare.Australia@boehringer-ingelheim.com Company video: https://vimeo.com/1138807630?fl=pl&fe=cm
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