Six dicamba based products have been approved by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. The Monsanto Bayer herbicide, a more potent alternative to glyphosate – which has recently been convicted by the American Federal Court – has been given the go-ahead in Brazil.
Specifically, these are six products that will be used by several small Brazilian companies. All of this happens while the American court blocked the use of dicamba in June, stating that the risks associated with the herbicide were underestimated. The herbicide sprayed on soybeans and genetically modified cotton is known to expand in the air and damage neighboring crops.
Yet, despite the fact that these six products have been classified as “very dangerous for the environment”, they will be used in Brazil. Recently Bayer blocked a project worth nearly $ 1 billion to produce the pesticide in the United States. Bayer and Basf had recently been defeated in a US court and had to pay a peach farmer $ 265 million in compensation, and the court had also ruled on the dicamba claiming that the EPA has underestimated the health risks.
This chemical dating back to the 1960s, was designed to eliminate broadleaf weeds in GM soybean fields. It’s known for its volatility which allows it to spread particularly quickly, also affecting crops that are not able to resist its aggressive chemical compounds. There is already talk of damage to the nervous system, fetus development, liver and kidneys and toxicity to fish and birds.
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Source: Reuters
