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Global Regulatory Impacts of the IARC Glyphosate Classification

Dan JenkinsMonsanto

What is IARC?• The International Agency for Research on Cancer is a branch of

the World Health Organization. • The objective of the IARC is to promote international

collaboration in cancer research. • IARC does a great deal of important and highly valuable work

http://www.iarc.fr/

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IARC Classification has Substantially Increased Negative Social Perception

• Undue confusion

• Cannot “unring the bell”

IARC Classification Resulted in Immediate Confusion and Growing calls for Bans

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20 March 2015IARC 2A classification

US EPA, German BfR, Canada PMRA, Australia, APVMA, others…

Bermuda suspends imports

Korea RDA will request in-country exposure assessment for local operatorsRDA will not receive any new registration applicationsProduction cap based on what was done in 2014

Colombia Ban illicit crops(not a labeled use)

Japan residue determination delay (ADI) (want to wait for monograph)

Germany state consumer protection ministers called on the German federal government to immediately ban all non-professional uses of glyphosate.

Brazil public prosecutor requests ban of ANVISA and revoking of GMO crop approvals

China CCM proposal to ban and w/draw

EU ISDE requested a ban of EU Parliament

Canada request for review of continued sale/use in Ontario

April May June

Germany Retail Giant REWE removes from shelves

Switzerland Supermarket stop sales

Argentina FESPROSA request for ban in row crops

July 2015IARC monograph

CA Prop 65, OSHA, HHP, GM Crop approvals…

France Ecology Minister asked garden stores to stop selling herbicides containing glyphosate

Dark Outline = Gov’t action

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Undercut the Science of Existing National Pesticide Risk Assessment Processes

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Negative Significance for Agricultural Trade

• If glyphosate based herbicides are restricted or banned, it could significantly disrupt global agricultural trade.

• A ban or restriction would go against the Maximum residue levels (MRLs) of glyphosate established by Codex Alimentarius, the international standard recognized by the WTO.

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Threatens GM Contribution to Global Food Security

• IARC conclusion is being leveraged by critics of GM crops• Food production capacity is faced with a growing number of challenges,

including a world population expected to grow to nearly 9 billion by 2050 and falling ratio of arable land to population.

• Between 1996 and 2012, crop biotechnology was responsible for an additional 122 million tons of soybeans and 231 million tons of corn. The technology has also contributed an extra 18.2 million tons of cotton lint and 6.6 million tons of canola.

• If crop biotechnology had not been available to the (17.3 million) farmers using the technology in 2012, maintaining global production levels at the 2012 levels would have required additional plantings of 4.9 million ha of soybeans, 6.9 million ha of corn, 3.1 million ha of cotton and 0.2 million ha of canola.

Report available to download at www.pgeconomics.co.uk

IARC Classification Resulted in Immediate Confusion and Growing calls for Bans

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20 March 2015IARC 2A classification

US EPA, German BfR, Canada PMRA, Australia, APVMA, others…

Bermuda suspends imports

Korea RDA will request in-country exposure assessment for local operatorsRDA will not receive any new registration applicationsProduction cap based on what was done in 2014

Colombia Ban illicit crops(not a labeled use)

Japan residue determination delay (ADI) (want to wait for monograph)

Germany state consumer protection ministers called on the German federal government to immediately ban all non-professional uses of glyphosate.

Brazil public prosecutor requests ban of ANVISA and revoking of GMO crop approvals

China CCM proposal to ban and w/draw

EU ISDE requested a ban of EU Parliament

Canada request for review of continued sale/use in Ontario

April May June

Germany Retail Giant REWE removes from shelves

Switzerland Supermarket stop sales

Argentina FESPROSA request for ban in row crops

July 2015IARC monograph

CA Prop 65, OSHA, HHP, GM Crop approvals…

France Ecology Minister asked garden stores to stop selling herbicides containing glyphosate

Dark Outline = Gov’t action

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Given High Likelihood of Negative Downstream Impacts IARC Must Communicate Responsibly

• Monographs and Q & A clarifying their meaning and process at the time of announcement– http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/

pdf/Monographs-Q&A.pdf– What is the difference between risk and

hazard?– What do classifications in Groups 2A and 2B

mean?• Should IARC distinguish substances that are highly

regulated versus substances that are not?

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THANK YOU

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Back Up

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GM Contributions to Food Security• Between 1996 and 2012, crop biotechnology was responsible for an additional 122 million tonnes of soybeans and 231 million

tonnes of corn. The technology has also contributed an extra 18.2 million tonnes of cotton lint and 6.6 million tonnes of canola;• GM crops are allowing farmers to grow more without using additional land. If crop biotechnology had not been available to the

(17.3 million) farmers using the technology in 2012, maintaining global production levels at the 2012 levels would have required additional plantings of 4.9 million ha of soybeans, 6.9 million ha of corn, 3.1 million ha of cotton and 0.2 million ha of canola. This total area requirement is equivalent to 9% of the arable land in the US, or 24% of the arable land in Brazil or 27% of the cereal area in the EU (28);

• Crop biotechnology helps farmers earn reasonable incomes for their work. The net economic benefit at the farm level in 2012 was $18.8 billion, equal to an average increase in income of $117/hectare. For the 17 year period (1996-2012), the global farm income gain has been $116.6 billion;

• The highest yield gains were obtained by farmers in developing countries, many of which are resource-poor and farm small plots of land;

• The total farm income gain of $116.6 billion was divided equally between farmers in developing and developed countries;• Crop biotechnology continues to be a good investment for farmers around the world. The cost farmers paid for accessing crop

biotechnology in 2012 ($5.6 billion (4)(5) payable to the seed supply chain) was equal to 23% of the total gains (a total of $24.4 billion inclusive of the $18.8 billion income gains). Globally, farmers received an average of $3.33 for each dollar invested in GM crop seeds;

Footnotes(1) Report available to download at www.pgeconomics.co.uk. Also contents available as two papers (with open access), separately, covering economic and environmental impacts, in the peer review journal GM Crops at www.landesbioscience.com/journal/gmcrops. GM Crops 5:1, p 1-11 Jan-March 2014 (economic impact paper) and vol 5.2, 1-11, April-June 2014 forthcoming for environmental impact paper.(2) As measured by the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) indicator (developed at Cornell University).(3) By facilitating the adoption of no tillage production systems this effectively shortens the time between planting and harvest of a crop.(4) The cost of the technology accrues to the seed supply chain including sellers of seed to farmers, seed multipliers, plant breeders, distributors and the GM technology providers.(5) A typical ‘equivalent’ cost of technology share for non GM forms of production (eg, for new seed or forms of crop protection) is 30%-40%

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• In 1974, Monsanto developed a new herbicide called Roundup®. The original Roundup® formulation and the Roundup brand herbicides that followed were developed to control a wide variety of weeds, grasses and broadleaf plants. The active ingredient in the herbicide is called glyphosate.

• A majority of Roundup brand herbicides contain three components – the active ingredient glyphosate, water and a soap-like surfactant blend. Over the years, various formulations of Roundup brand products and other glyphosate-based herbicides have been developed by Monsanto and other companies, and these formulations are used throughout the world by farmers, landowners and homeowners.

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