If you plan to enjoy a pint of Heineken beer in the future, you may get a taste of my farm here in Mexico.

That’s because I just finished sowing a variety of barley that the Dutch company wants to test for its malting, which is an essential step in the process of brewing. The history of beer goes back thousands of years, but 21st-century brewers such as Heineken are always searching for new ways to improve this old product—and farmers like me are their partners.

To succeed, we need the best tools of today’s agriculture. That’s why I’m so pleased that my government recently lifted its proposed ban of the world’s most popular and effective crop-protection product. The decision reverses a regulatory mistake that was driven by bad politics rather than sound science.

On my farm, we’re part of the no-till revolution. We’ve moved beyond the conventional practice of plowing our fields for planting and weed control. This method can work well, and it still does in many areas, but it also has weaknesses because plowing releases moisture from the soil, forces our machinery to burn more fuel, exposes our soil to erosion, and can weaken the biodiversity we work so hard to protect.

Our new system of no-till solves each of these problems. Its use of cover crops and other management methods makes soil healthier, reduces our greenhouse-gas emissions, and keeps our soil where it belongs. No-till helps us become better farmers with more sustainable operations.

In my operation and in many others around the world, it also depends on glyphosate, a proven crop-protection product that aids a wide range of farmers, including those who plow. On my no-till farm, we recently used glyphosate to prepare our fields for our barley seeds.

If glyphosate wasn’t safe, we wouldn’t use it on our farm. But you don’t have to take my word for it: Around the world, agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States and the European Food Safety Authority have determined that glyphosate poses no threat to human health.

The current government in Mexico nevertheless rejected this scientific consensus. Several years ago, it declared war on glyphosate and declared an intention to ban this important tool. This was a political decision driven by the ideological foes of modern farming and compounded by scientific ignorance.

It made no sense from the standpoint of technology, economics, or conservation. Many farmers objected to the ban and spoke up. They became part of a broader conversation about the need for agricultural innovations and science-based regulations. I joined these efforts, in columns such as this and this.

At last, we achieved a key victory. On March 26, our government announced its suspension of the ban on glyphosate, which was supposed to take effect this month.

This is a huge win for common sense and science. It also shows what can happen when farmers use their voices to tell their stories and explain why everyone’s food security depends on crop-protection products that fight weeds, pests, and disease.

In a face-saving gesture, the government said that the ban would return if an alternative to glyphosate becomes available. This is a deception: There is no alternative to the world’s most successful crop-protection product. It’s conceivable that one may become available in the distant future—technology makes many things possible—but I don’t expect to see such a replacement during my life as a farmer.

The ideological controversy over glyphosate in Mexico is over for today.

Now we have a new chance to stop additional assaults on the ability of farmers like me to grow affordable and healthy food.

On June 2, Mexican voters will elect a successor to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, whose term ends in September. He has driven much of the government’s attack on modern agriculture, from the ban on glyphosate to restrictions on GMOs. The latest polls suggest that a member of his party may triumph, but even if this happens, farmers will have an opportunity for a fresh start with a new leader who listens to us and thinks differently about agriculture.

In the meantime, let’s at least figuratively raise a glass of beer made with Mexican barley and modern crop protection—and say “cheers” to a big victory for farmers.

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