UK Faces Pressure to Ban Glyphosate as Harvest Desiccant After EU Ban

TL;DR: UK campaigners urge the government to ban glyphosate as a pre‑harvest drying agent, following the EU’s 2023 prohibition. The Health and Safety Executive will consult this summer on renewing the chemical’s approval, weighing new health evidence.

Context Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that some farmers spray on standing cereal crops a few days before harvest to speed drying. Campaigners argue this practice leaves residues in bread, beer and breakfast cereals, raising health concerns. Farmers counter that the chemical reduces diesel use for drying and helps control weeds.

Key Facts The EU banned glyphosate as a pre‑harvest desiccant in 2023, and UK groups such as the Soil Association are pressing the government to adopt the same measure. The Health and Safety Executive will run a two‑month public consultation this summer to decide whether to renew glyphosate’s licence beyond December 2026, reviewing fresh scientific and regulatory data.

Guy Singh‑Watson of Riverford Organic Farmers told BBC Radio 4 that claiming glyphosate is essential for growing wheat is “not true.” He said the chemical is a relatively modern drying aid and that traces end up in food.

Scientific assessments differ. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2015, based on limited epidemiological evidence and sufficient animal data. In contrast, a 2023 meta‑analysis of 29 cohort studies involving over 200,000 pesticide applicators found no clear causal link between glyphosate exposure and non‑Hodgkin lymphoma. The Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort of more than 50,000 farmers, also reported no increased cancer risk after adjusting for confounding factors.

Regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk when used according to label directions.

What It Means For consumers, the debate centers on possible residue levels in everyday foods; current UK monitoring shows most samples stay below legal limits. Farmers who rely on glyphosate for pre‑harvest drying may need to adopt alternatives such as mechanical drying or different herbicides, which could affect fuel use and costs.

Practical takeaway: check product labels for residue information and consider choosing foods certified with lower pesticide thresholds if concerned.

What to watch next The outcome of the HSE consultation later this year will determine whether glyphosate’s approval is renewed, modified or withdrawn, shaping UK farming practices and food safety standards for the next several years.