Regulatory Timeline
For over 50 years, the science has been clear—glyphosate is safe. Decades of research, global regulatory approvals, and real-world use all point to the same conclusion: when used as directed, glyphosate is not a carcinogen and remains a vital tool for farmers.
Yet, as this timeline shows, the litigation industry has leveraged a discredited report from a subagency of the World Health Organization (WHO) to make a fortune by targeting farmers’ best defense against weeds.
Glyphosate is introduced and quickly becomes the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. and globally.
The strict U.S. regulatory process—requiring review by multiple agencies and hundreds of scientific experts—ensures that pesticides meet high health and environmental safety standards and are safe for use according to label specifications. Today, this process takes an average of 12+ years from concept to field.
From 1974 to 2015, leading health regulators around the world repeatedly confirm glyphosate’s safety through regular comprehensive assessments.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a subagency of the WHO, classifies glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen” without conducting any original research. This classification contradicts findings from global regulatory authorities, including other WHO entities.
IARC's classification puts glyphosate alongside other everyday substances like red meat and hot beverages and in the same class as working the night shift or as a hairdresser.
Leveraging IARC’s opinion, U.S. trial lawyers launch advertising campaigns to recruit plaintiffs for lawsuits against the sole domestic manufacturer of glyphosate.
Leading health regulators worldwide reaffirm glyphosate’s safety and non-carcinogenic status with new risk assessments. The EPA also explicitly rejects IARC’s conclusion based on a more extensive dataset.
IARC's classification of glyphosate as a "probable carcinogen" is criticized for data deletion, manipulation, and potential conflicts of interest, casting doubt on the integrity of their findings.
California lists glyphosate under Prop 65 based solely on IARC’s 2015 opinion, contradicting global regulatory consensus.
U.S. ag groups led by the National Association of Wheat Growers challenge the constitutionality of the proposed Prop 65 warning requirement.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rules California’s Proposition 65 warning for glyphosate unconstitutional, citing global regulatory consensus that glyphosate is not carcinogenic.
The EU Commission reapproves glyphosate for 10 years, following scientific assessments by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which found no critical concerns for public health or the environment.
Glyphosate remains the most widely used and studied herbicide, playing a vital role in modern agriculture by helping farmers control weeds, increase crop yields, and adopt conservation practices like no-till farming. Without it, farmers would face skyrocketing input costs—up to 150% higher—leading to increased food prices and greater food insecurity.