For Immediate Release

August 15, 2018

The following is a statement from Gary Hirshberg, chairman of Organic Voices’ and Stonyfield co-founder:

“Every American should be alarmed by this report. Organic companies long ago abandoned the use of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer, to manage weeds. But, the diabolical use of glyphosate as a crop desiccant increases the chance that glyphosate will drift onto our crops and contaminate our grains – thwarting the efforts of organic farmers and consumers to avoid this toxic chemical. This practice of using glyphosate right before the harvest is no less than an assault on the rights of consumers and producers who simply want to choose foods free of toxic persistent pesticides.

EWG’s report not only highlights the serious public health risks glyphosate poses to every American, especially our kids, but also highlights the economic risks posed to responsible companies who are refusing the use chemicals linked to cancer. As EWG’s report show, the amount of glyphosate found on organic products is a small fraction of the amount found on conventional products and well below the health benchmark set by EWG’s scientists. But, the risks of contamination, however small, should not be foisted on farmers or consumers. Responsible conventional companies like PepsiCo, General Mills, and Kellogg’s should move swiftly to demand that their oats are not produced with glyphosate, and regulators should prohibit this particular use of glyphosate in the field.”

Click here to see EWG’s new report.

Contact: press@justlabelit.org