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Rochester Grange #86 Presents "The 4 P’s of Honeybee Health" on 10/24
A message from Rochester Grange #86: Rochester Grange #86 presents a no-cost community lecture in conjunction with the Seacoast Beekeeper’s Association. The 4 P’s of Honeybee Health With a focus on Pesticides Neonicotinoid pesticides are all the buzz, but what are they? How can we help our six-legged friends? Date: October 24 at 3 p.m....
Farmworkers’ health matters: South Africa looks to alternatives for chemical pesticides
Insects like fall armyworm or mealybugs can decimate food and commercial crops; like their counterparts elsewhere in the world, South Africa’s small and large farmers alike use synthetic chemical pesticides to control these and other pests. But about 385 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning are reported worldwide each year, according to the Pesticide […]
Chinese scientists develop nanoparticles to improve pesticide
In a study published in the Journal of Controlled Release, researchers mimicked gut bacteria pili-hair-like structures that function as hooks-to design hollow, rough-surfaced silica nanoparticles
How to wash your apples to eliminate pesticides -- according to science
Always wash your fruit.
The Watch: Pesticide Contamination Threatens Drinking Water Sources
Atrazine is detected at harmful levels in more a quarter of rivers and stream miles … Few volunteer firefighters get health screenings … and more.
New “plant armor” more than triples strawberry yields
A new protective fabric boosted strawberry yields by as much as 3.56 times while blocking insects and still allowing sunlight, rain, and airflow to reach the plants. Originally inspired by research on military clothing, Plant Armor could also help farms reduce pesticide and water use.
National Forum To Convene on Cutting Edge Science that Drives Solutions In Harmony with Nature - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog
The 43rd National Forum Series, Advancing Science on Pesticides, Taking Action in Harmony with Nature, and Sustaining Life —scheduled to begin on October 21, 2026, 1:00-3:30pm (Eastern time, US)—will focus on cutting edge science that both (1) defines the limitations of health and environmental protection standards governing allowed toxic pesticide use and (2) informs the urgent need to advance alternatives not reliant on hazardous inputs. The Forum is free to all participants. ➡️ Register HERE.
EPA’s Chemical Science Aims to Speed Reviews, Limit Animal Tests
Scientists transferred into the EPA’s chemicals office are working on new methods of assessing chemicals and pesticides to help the agency reduce the backlog of substance assessments it’s charged with doing.
OMNIBUS X, a toxic proposal for health and biodiversity. MEPs should not vote for it: ECVC
Omnibus X is a legislative package which, under the usual pretext of simplification to streamline the pesticide approval system, weakens the precautionary principle at the heart of European pesticide regulation.
Soil health: The effects of pesticides
Lynette Abbott and Pankaj Singh from The University of Western Australia highlight the relationships between pesticides and soil health
Study Findings Conflict with Body of Science Linking Pesticides to Attention Deficits and Autism - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog
A recent study finds no connection between levels of urinary biomarkers of organophosphates and autism-related traits, conflicting with a wide body of research.
Pesticides cause 400 million farmer poisoning cases a year
Nearly half the world's farmers get poisoned with pesticides annually, while global pesticide use continues to rise, a study finds.
Why the White House and a MAHA influencer are fighting on social media
Influential MAHA activists are channeling their anger over pesticides at Heidi Overton, a top aide the president picked to lead the FDA.
California to phase out paraquat, a powerful weedkiller associated with serious health issues
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation said all manufacturers of pesticide products containing paraquat have "voluntarily canceled" their product registrations.
The Watch: Microplastics Linked To Fatty Liver Disease
Plastic used in food packaging is most common type found in liver…workers exposed to pesticides at higher risk for Lou Gehrig’s disease…last year’s measles outbreak cost $5.4 million to contain…and more
Does Monsanto v. Durnell bar Maine from adding differing health warnings to pesticide labels?
The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned a Missouri jury's decision to award $1.25 million to a farmer who alleged that he developed cancer after using Roundup.
Health Brief: MAHA and Trump collide on pesticides
Plus: Eli Lilly dives into psychedelics
Pesticide makers stack wins against US environmental, public health groups
The U.S. Supreme Court handed a major legal victory to German agrichemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer last month when it reined in thousands of lawsuits accusing the German company of failing to warn users that glyphosate, the active ingredient in its Roundup weedkiller, causes cancer.
This common pesticide may be quietly wiping out future bumblebees
A next-generation pesticide designed to kill crop pests may also be interfering with the reproductive health of bumblebees. Researchers discovered that low-dose exposure to sulfoxaflor changed gene activity, especially in tissues involved in reproduction, raising concerns about long-term impacts on bee populations. Because pollinators are essential for about one-third of the world's food production, finding ways to protect them while controlling pests has become increasingly important.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby and Toyota to partner on manufacturing, Driscoll’s faces pesticide backlash, economic woes drive slowdown on local granny units
Jessica M. Pasko gives you the latest in local business news, including Joby Aviation and Toyota expanding their partnership, Driscoll's facing a new class action lawsuit over pesticide use, and upcoming events.
Does a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision affect how Minnesota can warn of pesticide health dangers?
The question stemmed from a lawsuit about cancer risks associated with Monsanto's widely-used weed killer, Roundup.
Common pesticide linked to more than double the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Scientists at UCLA have linked long-term exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos with a sharply increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. People exposed to the chemical near their homes were more than twice as likely to develop the condition. Laboratory studies showed that chlorpyrifos damages dopamine neurons and interferes with the brain’s ability to remove toxic protein buildup.
Supreme Court protects pesticides from some health claims in key Roundup case
The Supreme Court on Thursday restricted Americans’ ability to sue pesticide makers over alleged health harms stemming from their products. In a 7-2 ruling, the court held that some claims that pes…
Aerial begins in Fort Bend County after mosquito population grows to become public health emergency
Planes will drop pesticides over designated areas around Fort Bend County each evening through Thursday, officials said.
What you need to know about forever chemicals and how they can cause infertility in men
Things like PFAS, which are also known as forever chemicals, phthalates, and even some pesticides, can interfere with hormones and fertility and reproductive health…
Common pesticide linked to hidden brain damage, scientists warn
Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills years later.
Scientists bring crop protection research to local science classes
As the world’s population continues to grow, farmers across the globe are working hard to feed more than 8 billion humans. Agriculture at that scale requires interventions, including herbicides and pesticides to keep crops healthy and free from disease and insect infestations. Chemical herbicides and pesticides were, and are, a common solution...
MAHA voters support lower health care costs above vaccine safety and limiting pesticides, poll finds
A new KFF poll found that voters aligned with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement consider the cost of health care as their top policy priority
Health costs outweigh food, vaccine concerns for MAHA voters: Poll
Health care costs are the top concern among voters who identify with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, according to a new poll — far more than vaccines, pesticides or additives…
MAHA Health Concerns Resonate Broadly but Lag Behind Health Care Costs Even for MAHA Voters
Chemical food additive and pesticide concerns associated with the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement are shared broadly across the public. But when it comes to voters, health care costs are a higher priority and bigger motivator, even among MAHA supporters, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
House passes Farm Bill, yanks pro-pesticide provision
On Thursday the House passed a new farm bill
A Supreme Court case over pesticides is bringing out the ‘MAHA moms’ — and threats of consequences for the midterms
When a group of mothers and wellness influencers, including surgeon general nominee Casey Means, was asked to go to the White House this month, some of them assumed a few staffers would hear their grievances about the health risks of weedkillers.
Pesticide exposure linked to 150% higher cancer risk in major study
A major new study finds that living in pesticide-heavy environments could raise cancer risk by up to 150%, even when the chemicals are considered “safe” on their own. The research suggests these mixtures may silently damage cells years before cancer appears.
Healthy diets spark lung cancer risk in non-smokers as pesticides loom
Younger non-smokers who ate diets rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains showed a surprising link to lung cancer, early research suggests.
EPA Adds More Pesticide Industry Reps to Science Board
While most appointees are academic scientists, Administrator Lee Zeldin also named employees of a company that makes forever chemicals.
Pesticides and cancer: Study reveals the biological mechanisms behind an environmental health risk
A new study, published in Nature Health, reveals a strong link between exposure to agricultural pesticides in the environment and the risk of developing cancer. By combining environmental data, a nationwide ...
Mapping pesticide mixtures to cancer risk at the country scale with spatial exposomics
Nature Health - Using an integrative spatial Bayesian framework that merges high-resolution environmental pesticide risk modelling with comprehensive cancer registry data, this analysis reveals...
Can pesticide exposure before pregnancy affect babies’ health?
A new study suggests a correlation between certain chemical compounds and lower newborn health scores.
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance
In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
2026 ‘Dirty Dozen’ produce: Nearly 100% tested positive for pesticides, including ‘forever chemicals’
The 2026 “Dirty Dozen” list of most contaminated produce has a worrisome finding. Many of the most common pesticides are also potentially toxic “forever chemicals.”
Can pesticide exposure before pregnancy affect babies’ health?
A study co-authored by UCLA researchers suggests certain chemical compounds correlated with lower newborn health scores.
Science should guide Florida’s pesticide conversations
The science on glyphosate exposure is extensive, and the levels reported in bread testing fall well below thresholds associated with harm.
A surprising percentage of produce from the nation’s largest supplier contains ‘forever’ pesticides
Nearly 40% of California-grown nonorganic produce has residues from pesticides made from potentially toxic PFAS chemicals that can remain in the body for years.
Popular fruits and vegetables linked to higher pesticide levels
A sweeping new study reveals that what’s on your plate may directly shape the pesticides circulating in your body. Researchers found that people who eat more fruits and vegetables known to carry higher pesticide residues—such as strawberries, spinach, and bell peppers—also have significantly higher levels of those chemicals in their urine. While produce remains a cornerstone of a healthy diet, the findings highlight how everyday food choices can drive real-world exposure to substances linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and developmental harm.
70% of European soils are degraded: experts warn of a hidden biodiversity crisis - Futura-Sciences
Pesticides are the products used to eliminate unwanted plants and animals. Agriculture has relied on them for decades. Over time, however, doubts have grown. Research has confirmed what many feared: pesticide use comes with unintended consequences, including risks to human health – particularly for those who handle these chemicals regularly....
Sound science should drive Colorado’s pesticide policy
By Paul Schlagel As a Coloradan and fourth-generation sugar beet farmer, my relationship with the land and my livelihood depend on balancing healthy soil, vibrant crops, and clean water. Achieving this balance — and providing food to my neighbors here in Longmont — requires essential tools such as scientifically researched and tested pesticides. That’s why […]
Outrage at European science center as director fired after study on glyphosate
A leading European chemical safety institute has fired the director of its cancer research center after the director launched an extensive testing program into the safety of the pesticide glyphosate, sparking concerns about chemical industry influence into what has been an independent research institution.
Health groups sue EPA over insecticide that causes testicular damage in rats
Groups say EPA did not adequately consider adverse health effects to children when it approved the pesticide
Everyday chemicals are quietly damaging beneficial gut bacteria
A large study has revealed that dozens of widely used chemicals can damage beneficial gut bacteria. Many of these substances, found in pesticides and everyday industrial products, were never thought to affect living organisms at all. When gut bacteria are stressed by these chemicals, some may also become resistant to antibiotics. The research raises new questions about how chemical exposure could be influencing human health behind the scenes.