This article originally appeared onThe Defenderand was republished with permission.
Guest post byThe Defender Staff
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy last week said he supported President Donald Trump’sexecutive orderintended toboost U.S. production of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller.
In an initial statement toThe New York Times, Kennedy said:
“Donald Trump’s executive order puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply. We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it.”
Trump’s order sparked widespread criticism from environmentalists and advocates for organic,regenerative agricultureand food safety.
On Sunday, Kennedy took to social media to elaborate on his position on the executive order and the use of pesticides in U.S. agriculture. Here is his full response,posted on X:
“I will always tell the American people the truth.
“Pesticides and herbicides aretoxicby design, engineered to kill living organisms. When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk. Chemical manufacturers have paid tens of billions of dollars to settle cancer claims linked to their products, and many agricultural communities report elevated cancer rates and chronicdisease.
Unfortunately, our agricultural system depends heavily on these chemicals. The U.S. represents 4% of the world’s population, yet we use roughly 25% of its pesticides. If these inputs disappeared overnight, crop yields would fall, food prices would surge, and America would experience a massive loss of farms even beyond what we are witnessing today. The consequences would be disastrous.
Source: The Vigilant Fox
