The Biden Administration just overruled its own scientists at the EPA, mandating regulations that effectively ban the low-risk, effective weedkiller atrazine. Why? Beer made with genetically engineered yeast went on sale in San Francisco recently; the traditionally anti-GMO Bay Area has welcomed these biotech-enhanced brews with open arms. Has the herbicide glyphosate saturated our environment? A panel of organic-food activists made that case during a July 19 webinar. Let's take a closer look at their claims.
Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 179 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:
* Viewpoint: Science-Free Webinar: Carey Gillam's Latest Glyphosate Hysteria, Debunked
Have farmers "drenched" their crops in glyphosate, allowing the weedkiller to permeate our environment? That was the theme of a recent webinar featuring Carey Gillam, Kelly Ryerson (the self-described "Glyphosate Girl") and other anti-pesticide activists. The panel featured no dissenting voices and the speakers took no questions. A careful review of the facts indicates that the panelists radically diverged from the scientific evidence.
* Viewpoint: Follow the science? Biden Administration politicizes EPA by ignoring its own scientists in backdoor way to ban atrazine. It will harm farming and increase food prices
The weedkiller atrazine has been in use since the 1950s. It's a useful crop-protection tool for corn growers because it inhibits photosynthesis in a wide variety of weeds, but the crop itself detoxifies atrazine, mitigating its herbicidal effects. The EPA has routinely reviewed the evidence surrounding the weedkiller and re-approved its use by licensed pesticide applicators. Yet, the Biden Administration, in opposition to the EPA's experts, has mandated restrictions that effectively ban atrazine. What has driven the administration to this decision?
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