Society’s expectations of farmers and modern agriculture are at an all-time high. From weathering the impacts of climate change to feeding a growing global population amidst significant geopolitical conflict, farmers are now more than ever being asked to juggle increasingly daunting tasks. Yet, modern agriculture consistently rises to the challenge.

For more than 30 years, and as the head of Bayer’s North America Crop Science Division, I’ve been proud to help shape Bayer’s role in supporting farmers as they navigate the demands of modern agriculture, developing new seed and crop protection tools, innovative technologies, and beneficial partnerships to enhance farmers’ decisions, fields, and operations. However, the threats to this innovation and the essential products farmers rely on have never been more apparent.

There is no more essential tool in a farmer's toolbox than safe, effective crop protection chemistries. Currently, a lack of legislative certainty around pesticide labeling has fueled costly litigation and enabled efforts in states like California to regulate pesticides in a manner inconsistent with federal law and congressional intent and based on scientifically unsound considerations. Despite all of these challenges, no regulator anywhere in the world has found glyphosate to pose a carcinogenic risk to people.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory bodies around the globe, including those in the EU – which just renewed glyphosate’s approval for 10 years – and Canada, incorporate the most rigorous scientific data available to evaluate the safety of pesticides, and they have determined again and again that glyphosate is safe for use according to the label.

Unfortunately, current uncertainty has created unsustainable realities that can lead to decreased innovation for farmers. If not addressed, the future of valuable crop protection tools and critical innovations may be at stake.

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While growers across the country have already stood up and demanded action from federal policymakers, nothing in Washington is ever certain. Thus, their continued support will be crucial as we expand efforts to protect the future of important crop protection products at the state level, where policymakers can often more easily address the needs of America's farmers.

As a trained chemist and a firm believer in Bayer’s mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” I understand how important glyphosate and other crop protection tools are to growers, modern agriculture, and this country. For nearly half a century, glyphosate has served as farmers’ top defense against invasive weeds that threaten crop yields and has enabled conservation practices that use fewer resources, helping family farms stay competitive.

It is also important everyone understands crop protection’s significant impact on U.S. agriculture and, particularly, our shared sustainability goals. Take, for example, the importance of glyphosate and its impact on sustainable farming. As the most widely used herbicide in the U.S., glyphosate has allowed farmers to adopt practices like conservation tillage, saving farmers time and resources while also limiting erosion, runoff, and water loss to help keep soils healthy and reduce CO2 emissions. According to a 2023 study, the use of glyphosate and the total farm-level effect of more carbon capture and fewer carbon emissions offsets the yearly emissions from the equivalent of 6.8 million gas-driven cars. Simply put, continued innovation and use of essential crop protection tools are critical to the future of regenerative agriculture.

If state and federal policymakers, our grower partners, and the broader agricultural community take action and provide the necessary legislative clarity, we can protect continued innovation and ensure critical tools for U.S. farmers. It will take a united effort to protect the future of modern agriculture and farmers’ very ability to continue to put food on our tables. But time is running out, and we must act now.

We encourage all to join us in this effort to support legislation at the state and federal level that will protect science-based regulation, America’s food security, our local economy, and farmers’ livelihoods.

Dr. Applegate serves as President of Bayer Crop Science North America and is a member of the Global Executive Leadership Team. She holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her son, Matthew.