Overview
- Environmental and health groups filed an open letter and petition urging ministers to ban spraying glyphosate on crops to dry them before harvest, a practice known as pre‑harvest desiccation.
- Defra officials are in talks with EU counterparts on a trade deal that, campaigners say, could encourage the UK to phase out pre‑harvest use in line with EU restrictions.
- Glyphosate remains approved in Great Britain until December 15, 2026, after ministers extended its authorisation while the Health and Safety Executive prepares a public consultation on the industry’s renewal dossier.
- Campaigners cite the WHO’s 2015 classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen and a March expert statement from international scientists that said glyphosate‑based herbicides harm human health and can cause cancer.
- The groups report residues in staples like bread and cereal, estimate a ban on pre‑harvest spraying could affect up to 780,000 hectares of UK crops, and call for funding to help farmers shift to alternatives.