'Undermining confidence': Farmers back Roundup despite US cancer claim

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A US jury this week ruled unanimously that weed killer Roundup was a 'substantial factor' in causing the cancer of a California man. But Australian farmers say there's a 'lack of science' to the court's decision and insist it should still be used here.

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NSW Farmers Association president James Jackson said: "I think it's [the US ruling] undermining confidence in one of the really basic tools that we use in agriculture in this country.""It has meant that country is ploughed less, it has meant that water is conserved for longer in the ground...it's meant that we've been able to manage weed incursions, it's meant that we can prevent soil erosion by less ploughing," he said.

Professor Rae said the US court move would "add to the pressure from people who don't understand the science, but who would like to see a cause for their illness. People like to see causes, and chemical causes are quite popular." He said glyphosate, which is broken down in soil to phosphate, ammonium and carbon dioxide, "is one of the least likely compounds to be carcinogenic that I can think of, because it's made up of three very simple substances which are common parts of our metabolism".

 

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With our heads buried firmly in the sands, we do not agree with the U.S. Roundup results until we see actual evidence, gold standard. I love A US. Pharmaceuticals are not guilty till shown here regardless of o/s experience

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