Farms Brace for MAHA Commission Report

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- To say the content of the pending Make America Health Again Commission (MAHA) report to be released this week has agriculture nervous might be an understatement.

Press reports on the release, which is expected on May 22, point to the possibility that the commission will call out pesticides, including glyphosate, as a reason for growing health concerns.

Despite assurances from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week that agriculture has nothing to fear from the report, at least some producers said on Wednesday that losing glyphosate-based Roundup or other pesticides would devastate their operations.

Two farmers joined a press call held by Modern Ag Alliance on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the report to voice their concerns.

"I've read a number of news reports for the last few days saying that crop-production products and glyphosate in particular may be targeted in the upcoming MAHA commission report," said Blake Hurst, a row-crop farmer in Atchison County, Missouri.

"If that's the case, it will be a terrible development for American agriculture. A better understanding of how we raise our crops, the important role tools like glyphosate play is desperately needed so we don't undermine America's food supply."

Lack of weed control hurts yield and ultimately farmers' bottom lines.

Hurst said that before glyphosate came on the ag scene nearly 50 years ago (1974), he would often spend summer days cutting weeds by hand.

Not to mention, he said, companies that bring pesticides and other ag chemicals to market often spend a decade or more and hundreds of millions of dollars to gain regulatory approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA has maintained for years that glyphosate is safe.

"It was a miracle when it was first introduced," Hurst said about glyphosate. "Without it, I'd be stuck using alternatives that don't work as well and might not be as safe. Glyphosate helps to control weeds safely, efficiently and affordably. We are staring down a potential crisis at our doorstep."

GLYPHOSATE LEGAL CASES

At last count, more than 100,000 product-liability lawsuits have been filed against Bayer's glyphosate-containing Roundup by cancer victims who allege their use of the chemical caused their health conditions.

The legal cases have forced the company to consider its options regarding the future of glyphosate. At the same time, the EPA and other governmental bodies across the world, including the European Chemicals Agency's Committee for Risk Assessment, the European Food Safety Authority, and the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues, have found no credible link between glyphosate and cancer.

"The notion that farmers are essentially being accused of accessory to poisoning the country we love is deeply upsetting to me," Hurst said, "especially since my eldest daughter is fighting cancer. I don't understand how people can reach the conclusion that that is what we're doing."

Central Iowa farmer Scott Henry who operates LongView Farms, said the loss of weed-fighting tools like glyphosate would make his operation less profitable at a time when farmers are struggling.

"Bottom line is without glyphosate, yields will drop, costs will rise and higher prices will get passed on to the consumer," Henry said. "Research shows that losing this product would cause food inflation to more than double, and that's just with one chemistry. Glyphosate is the tool that keeps the supply chain stable and food, fuel and fiber affordable for American families."

Henry said U.S. farmers "can't eat any increased input costs," and so, ultimately, input price surges would be paid at the grocery store checkout line by consumers.

"Losing access to glyphosate would also increase my labor costs on my farm," he said. "Labor is already scarce, and we're having to start looking outside of the United States to help shore up that supply and to make up for productivity losses. We're here today not to talk about short-term savings. We're looking for long-term stability in our industry, and glyphosate's a tool that allows that. Without it, we'd be forced to go back to the practices of my grandfather using tillage, more, dealing with degrading soils and putting long-term productivity at risk."

MAHA REPORT RESULTS

Exactly what might result from the release of the MAHA report remains to be seen.

One possibility is the report's recommendations could lead to federal agencies, including the EPA, setting new, stricter policies in response.

Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, executive director of Modern Ag Alliance, said her organization has been involved in state-level legislative efforts to clarify federal authority on pesticide labels.

While it's not for sure what, if any, policy changes could happen because of the MAHA efforts, she said her organization is taking the threat to pesticides seriously.

"So, I do see underlying themes in that there is a real threat to the availability of products that could come from what we see in this report in addition to the action steps that are anticipated as part of the secondary report that we are told will come sometime in August," Burns-Thompson said.

CONSERVATION PRACTICES

Many producers use glyphosate for weed burn down as part of no-till farming and other conservation practices.

Hurst said losing glyphosate would come at a time when more farmers are expanding those efforts and may think twice about continuing.

"We're totally no-till," Hurst said. "I mean, we do no tillage at all. We use Roundup to burn down the winter annuals that come up in our fields and also the early spring season weeds. Guys that are using cover crops use Roundup to burn down the rye or whatever they're using for a cover crop. It makes it possible to cut out three or four tillage passes, saves a tremendous amount of diesel, a tremendous amount of carbon emitted in the atmosphere, and most importantly of all, millions and millions of tons of soil. So, it's a big deal. It truly is a big deal."

Whatever comes from the MAHA report, Henry said he hopes science ultimately wins the day.

"Is this report truly about making America healthy again or is it making America hungry again?" he said. "I think that's where the farming community has to stand up and lean on science like we have for many, many years. Look at the investments in our Extension and university systems. Look at the rigorous protocols and scientific standards that need to be met for products like this. The American farmer still has the best interests of the consumer in mind. We want them to buy food, and we want it to be cheap. We want it to be safe because, don't forget, we feed our children these same products. And so, for somebody to tell us that we don't care about them is a true slap in the face and such a sign of disrespect that it's unfortunate to see this coming from our own government."

Read more on DTN:

"RFK Downplays MAHA Commission Report," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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