Glyphosate Use on Combinable Crops in Europe: Implications for Agriculture and the Environment

Glyphosate is a broad spectrum, systemic herbicide extensively used across Europe in agricultural, amenity and home and garden sectors. It is strongly adsorbed to soil particles and even though it is highly water soluble, it does not leach readily into soil and ground water, typically found in less than 1% of water samples. However, glyphosate, or its breakdown product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), is frequently detected in surface waters in 20-30% of samples, but generally well below the threshold for ecotoxicological concern. The presence of glyphosate in water has led to concerns that restrictions may eventually be put on its use. This paper assesses the value of glyphosate use across wheat, winter barley and oilseed rape in Europe (EU25) based on assessments done in the UK, France and Germany.