Glyphosate

Get the Facts

  • Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide registered by EPA for use on many crops and in non-crop sites such as forests, rights-of-way, pasture and rangeland, recreational and wildlife-management areas and residential settings. A pesticide can be registered only if EPA determines it meets the safety standard set by federal law when used according to its label.
  • EPA is currently reevaluating glyphosate under a program called registration review, using gold-standard science to reassess whether it continues to meet that safety standard and to update protections, if needed, as relevant data emerge. As part of this review, EPA is updating its human health risk assessment, with completion anticipated in late 2026, and will evaluate recent published studies alongside the existing body of evidence.
  • EPA convened an independent scientific review panel in 2016 and solicited stakeholder input on scientific issues related to the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate. The conclusions of the scientific review panel can be found on EPA’s website: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/scientific-advisory-panel-report-glyphosate-available.
  • EPA's 2017 human health risk assessment did not identify risks of concern from glyphosate uses, including for cancer, dietary and drinking-water exposure, and residential exposure. EPA is now updating the human health risk assessment to incorporate more recent, scientifically relevant published literature, which will inform EPA's decisions going forward.
  • Glyphosate targets a growth enzyme in plants, so ecological risks are primarily to non-target plants present near the application site.

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How It’s Used

  • Glyphosate is used to control weeds in a wide range of agricultural crops such as corn, cotton, canola, soybean, sugar beet, alfalfa, berry crops, Brassica vegetables, bulb vegetables, fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables, legume vegetables, cucurbit vegetables, root tuber vegetables, cereal grains, grain sorghum, citrus crops, fallow, herbs and spices, orchards, tropical and subtropical fruits, stone fruits, pome fruits, nuts, vine crops, oilseed crops, and sugarcane.
  • It is also used to control weeds in other sites such as conservation land, pastures, rangeland, aquatic areas, forests, turf grass, residential areas, non-food tree crops (e.g., pine, poplar, Christmas trees), rights of way, commercial areas, paved areas, spot treatments, ornamentals, parks, and wildlife management areas.
  • Glyphosate controls many invasive and noxious weeds and is an essential tool for habitat maintenance and restoration efforts. 
  • The broad spectrum of control provided by glyphosate allows growers across a range of crops to adopt reduced-tillage and no-till production systems which makes it an integral part of herbicide-resistance management programs. Intense tillage can increase runoff and erosion, reduce soil organic content, and harm beneficial soil organisms.
  • Products containing glyphosate are sold in various formulations, including as liquid concentrate, solid, and ready-to-use liquid. Glyphosate can be applied using a wide range of application methods, including aerial sprays, ground broadcast sprayers of various types, shielded and hooded sprayers, wiper applicators, sponge bars, injection systems, and controlled droplet applicators. 

Human Health

  • EPA’s 2017 risk assessment did not identify any risks of concern to human health from current uses of glyphosate when used according to the label.  EPA evaluated dietary (including drinking water), residential, aggregate (combined dietary + residential), and risks to farmworkers and nearby communities and found no risks of concern to any sensitive populations, including infants, children, and pregnant women.
  • There is no indication that children are more sensitive to glyphosate. After evaluating numerous studies from a variety of sources, the agency found no indication that children are more sensitive to glyphosate from in utero or post-natal exposure. As part of the 2017 human health risk assessment, the agency evaluated all populations, including infants, children and women of child-bearing age, and found no risks of concern from ingesting food with glyphosate residues. EPA also found no risks of concern for children entering or playing on residential areas treated with glyphosate.
  • In its 2017 assessment, EPA concluded that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. EPA reached a different conclusion than the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans." The two evaluations differed in scope and methodology: IARC assesses whether a chemical is capable of causing cancer under any conditions — while EPA assesses risk under expected real-world exposures. EPA's classification is consistent with conclusions reached by a number of other regulatory authorities, including the Canadian Pesticides Regulatory Directorate, Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority, European Food Safety Authority, European Chemicals Agency, German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority, and the Food Safety Commission of Japan and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). 
  • As part of the ongoing registration review, EPA is updating its evaluation of glyphosate's potential to cause cancer. For more information, read the Revised Glyphosate Issue Paper: Evaluation of Carcinogenic Potential.
  • Glyphosate has completed Tier 1 screening under EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. Using a weight-of-evidence approach, EPA concluded that the available data did not indicate a potential to interact with the estrogen, androgen, or thyroid pathways. Tier 1 screening did not indicate a need for additional endocrine testing. 

Food Safety

  • EPA’s 2017 human health assessment for glyphosate found no dietary risks of concern, including from drinking water. 
  • Residues of glyphosate on any food or feed item are safe for consumers up to the established tolerances. Before allowing the use of a pesticide on food crops, EPA sets a tolerance or limit on how much pesticide residue can legally remain on food and feed products, or commodities. The complete listing of tolerances for glyphosate can be found in 40 CFR § 180.364. If residues are found above the established tolerance level, the commodity will be subject to seizure by the government. The presence of a detectible pesticide residue does not mean the residue is at an unsafe level.
  • Trace amounts of glyphosate residues may be present in some fruits, vegetables, cereals, and other registered commodities. EPA sets legal limits (tolerances) for residues on each food and feed commodity, and sets them at levels that are protective for the most sensitive populations including infants, children, and women of child-bearing age. Finding pesticide residues on food does not mean they exceed the EPA's legal limits; in fact, the vast majority of residues found during testing are well below these safety thresholds.
  • EPA's dietary assessments frequently use deliberately conservative, health-protective assumptions — for example, assuming that every single acre of a registered crop has been treated with the specific pesticide, even though actual usage is typically much lower. Additionally, EPA assumes that pesticide residues on food at the time of consumption are present at the maximum legal limit (the tolerance level) rather than actual, lower residue levels found in real-world monitoring.  EPA is re-examining dietary exposure as part of the current review.

Ecological Health

  • EPA’s 2015 ecological risk assessment identified potential risks to terrestrial and aquatic plants, mammals, and birds, with low risk to honey bees for most agricultural uses, though risks above certain rates remain uncertain due to incomplete honey bee toxicity data. The agency is currently reviewing new European honey bee studies and will update the honey bee risk picture as part of registration review.
  • Glyphosate is labeled for use to control weeds like milkweed, which can be poisonous to livestock but is vital for sensitive species such as the monarch butterfly. EPA is committed to protecting pollinators through conservation efforts and best management practices. EPA’s strategy to protect the monarch butterfly includes collaborating with federal, state, and other stakeholders on conservation efforts, educating users on how to manage off-target movement and protect off-field habitat, and promoting best management and integrated pest management practices to reduce spray drift and help preserve pollinator habitat. Read more about what EPA is doing to protect the monarch butterfly. 
  • EPA finalized a biological evaluation for glyphosate in November 2021, finding that glyphosate is “likely to adversely affect” 93% of listed species and 96% of critical habitats, mainly due to impacts on plants and animals dependent on plants.
  • Glyphosate is currently undergoing formal Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with both the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to address these risks and develop mitigation strategies for endangered and threatened species.

Hot Topics

  1. Is glyphosate safe?

    Glyphosate is safe when used according to the label. The EPA evaluates all pesticides, including glyphosate, using a comprehensive, science-based review process that considers all available information, including peer-reviewed independent research, studies required as part of the registration process, and public submissions. EPA’s prior 2017 human health risk assessment for glyphosate, found no human health risks of concern when used as directed on product labels. EPA has released a document with the most recent open literature search for glyphosate and is inviting public feedback on any peer-reviewed studies that were not included in the open literature search that may be relevant for consideration in the human health risk assessment. This updated literature review will inform a revised glyphosate human health risk assessment scheduled for release in late 2026. Additional information on EPA’s risk assessment methodology is available on EPA’s human health risk assessment webpage.

  2. Does glyphosate cause cancer or developmental effects in children?

    EPA’s previous 2017 human health assessment did not find any cancer or developmental effects of concern in children associated with the registered uses of glyphosate. As part of its ongoing pesticide reevaluation process, EPA continuously monitors the published scientific literature and human incidents data for potential links between pesticides and adverse health outcomes, including cancer, birth defects, and other adverse effects. If new evidence indicates a safety concern, EPA has the authority to take prompt regulatory action at any time during its review process.

  3. Is glyphosate in my food?

    Yes, low levels of glyphosate can be found in common food products due to its widespread use. However, just because glyphosate is detected in food commodities does not mean that consumers are at risk. EPA sets allowable limits of glyphosate residues on food/feed commodities (known as tolerances). The Food and Drug Administration routinely tests for glyphosate residues on food/feed and has not found residues that exceed allowable limits. See FDA’s Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program for pesticide residue reports.

  4. Did EPA rely on the retracted article titled “Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans” (Williams, Kroes, and Munroe, 2000) in its risk assessment?

    The agency is aware of the article titled Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans, published in 2000 and retracted November 2025 by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. EPA previously identified this review article in its 2017 systematic review of the open literature for glyphosate. EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs does not rely directly on review articles to inform its pesticide risk assessments. However, EPA does evaluate review articles to determine if there are any potentially relevant studies reviewed by the authors to consider in its assessments. If relevant studies are identified, EPA would consider them as the agency performs its own independent review of individual studies.   

    The retraction of this publication has no impact on EPA’s glyphosate assessment, which has historically reviewed more than 6,000 individual studies across all disciplines, including human and environmental health. EPA is currently working on an updated human health risk assessment for glyphosate using gold standard science, which is expected to be released in 2026. Consistent with previous assessments, EPA does not intend to rely on this retracted article.

  5. Did EPA review the Panzacchi et al. 2025 study from the Ramazzini Institute?

    EPA is aware of the 2025 study from Panzacchi et al. (Ramazzini Institute). Because it was recently published, it was not part of EPA's earlier evaluation. EPA will evaluate this study, for relevance and scientific quality, and may consider it in the updated human health risk assessment. EPA applies the same systematic-review criteria to every study it evaluates, regardless of the source.

  6. Does glyphosate damage soil and microbial communities?

    Soil represents a complex biological environment which is typically organized into generic soil horizons and transitional horizons. The organisms which make up this environment are diverse, with varying sensitivity to glyphosate, and can contribute to a wide range of ecosystem services (e.g., nutrient cycling, soil formation, stabilization). Since Glyphosate is not persistent in soil, it is not anticipated to have long-term impacts on soil microbial communities. There are conflicting accounts in the open literature with respect to glyphosate’s impact on soil microbial populations, where effects on soil microbes are not consistently demonstrated. Differences in soil composition, microbial populations, application rates/frequency, and environmental conditions can all play a role in impacts to soil microorganisms. Studies alleging glyphosate’s negative impacts on soil microbes may also utilize high glyphosate concentrations which do not reflect real world application practices or laboratory conditions that are not reflective of real soil. Glyphosate can also enable soil health practices, such as no-till or reduced tillage. Safe, effective, well-regulated herbicides, like glyphosate, allow farmers another means of terminating weeds besides intensive tillage, which can harm soil microbiome, increase runoff and erosion, among other challenges. The published literature on glyphosate's effects on soil microbial communities is mixed, and results vary with soil type, microbial community, application rate, and environmental conditions. Because glyphosate is not persistent in soil, long-term effects on microbial communities are not expected.

  7. Are there any concerns with glyphosate use in forests for habitat restoration after fire events?

    Glyphosate is an important tool for forestry management, particularly as part of site preparation for tree planting or seedling release to kill competing weedy vegetation while trees are first established following a logging event or fire. Both application types are expected to occur only one to three times throughout the span of the stand of trees, which can be 20 to 80 years depending on the species of tree. Targeted applications of glyphosate are used for habitat maintenance, conservation, restoration, and invasive weed control and, as such, can be used to promote/maintain plant biodiversity or restore habitat. These targeted applications of glyphosate are widely used by conservation managers to control invasive weeds because it effectively targets many weeds, has low volatility, has limited soil persistence, and has lower risks to non-target organisms in comparison to other herbicide alternatives.

    Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide, and as expected for an herbicide, it may impact non-target plants through spray drift offsite from the treatment area. Many newer glyphosate labels specify EPA required drift mitigation measures such as limiting the wind speed, requiring a minimum droplet size, specifying swath displacement and boom length instructions for aerial applications, and other precautions to minimize drift. EPA is working to standardize these instructions across all glyphosate labels during registration review.  The agency is also engaged in Endangered Species Act consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure threatened and endangered species and their critical habitats are protected from glyphosate use.

Regulatory History of Glyphosate 

Upcoming Actions and Ongoing Review

  • Fall 2026: EPA intends to release FWS’s draft Biological Opinion for public comment.
  • Late 2026: EPA is updating its evaluation of glyphosate’s carcinogenic potential and human health risk assessment, with completion anticipated in late 2026. 
  • Early 2027: EPA intends to hold a public webinar to provide an overview of the updated human health risk assessment.
  • EPA will work with NMFS to complete consultation for about 100 listed marine and anadromous species; the timeline for this work is still undetermined. 

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Last updated on August 26, 2026