Two recently released research studies reinforce the existing body of scientific evidence that 2,4-D does not present a cancer risk to farmers and pesticide applicators.

In a study dealing with the reanalysis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases among Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota farmers during the 1980s and 1990s, National Cancer Institute researchers found no association with 2,4-D usage. Since epidemiological data on cancer risks from exposure to specific pesticides is scant, the researchers don’t foresee any increased cancer risk from the use of most pesticides.

The second report analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute’s Agricultural Health Study of 55,332 male pesticide applicators. The researchers found the incidence of cancer among these applicators was significantly less than for the entire U.S. population.

Since being registered in 1946, 2,4-D has become the most widely used agricultural herbicide in the world. More than a dozen research panels in the past 17 years have concluded that 2,4-D does not post an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment when used according to label instructions.

OTHER NO-TILL NEWS...

• In a cost-cutting round, Monsanto has pulled out of the European cereal seed breeding market, plans to further reduce costs linked to manufacturing and marketing Roundup and will discontinue its plant-made pharmaceuticals program.
• The Iowa Farm Bureau has launched a 4-year pilot program to trade credits from carbon that is sequestered from 100,000 acres of no-till, minimum till and permanent pasture. Estimates place the carbon credit value for no-tillers in a range of $1 to…