Monsanto Supersizes Farmers' Weed Problem—but Science Can Solve It

Published Apr 30, 2014

When agribusiness giant Monsanto came up with its Roundup Ready system, it seemed like a superhero to farmers looking for an effective, relatively non-toxic way to fight weeds.

Alas, this was a superhero with a fatal weakness. And before farmers knew what hit them, that weakness had transformed their weed problems into a national superweed crisis.

Monsanto and its agribusiness peers say they have a solution—but it looks an awful lot like the one that failed the first time.

There's a real solution available. We call it healthy farms. It's grounded in science, it's sustainable and cost-effective, and more and more farmers are putting it into practice.

But the transition isn't easy, and farmers need new policies and more research to help them make it happen.

The science behind the video

The story behind Monsanto Supersizes Weed Problems isn't science fiction—it has become a grim reality for farmers across the country. Our briefing paper, The Rise of Superweeds, explains how it happened—and what we can do about it.

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