Farm Progress Show: Farmers discusses access to weed control glyphosate

BOONE, IA. (WAND) — Protecting farmers' access to crop production tools was one of the topics up for discussion this week at the Farm Progress Show.

The Modern Ag Alliance is an coalition of more than 85 state and national agriculture organizations, and includes grower and commodity groups.

They have teamed up with Bayer to make sure farmers continue to have access to glyphosate which is used to control weeds and other pests.

One farmer said it's important to have those tools so they are able to provide an affordable and safe food supply in the United States.

"You really need, a lot of different tools in the toolbox. There are certainly other chemistries right out there right now that people use to control weeds. But, if you start taking away one, especially one that's extremely safe, and been proven safe and, you know, one that, again, it's been around 50 years," said, Iowa Farmer, Kevin Ross.

Ross said, there is work being done at the federal level to make sure farmers have access to glyphosate.

The alliance is hopeful that the legislation will be part of the farm bill.

Which is set to expire at the end of September.