Glyphosate, a key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide in the United States. According to the EPA, about 100 million pounds are applied to US farms and lawns every year, and studies have shown the chemical has a toxic effect on humans, plants, and animals.
To better document the health impacts of this chemical and corporate manipulation of data, Rachel’s Network members have pledged $55,000 over two years to help University of California San Francisco’s (UCSF) Chemical Industry Documents Archive add over 40,000 documents on glyphosate.
This opportunity was brought to Rachel’s Network by Member Alison Carlson of the Forsythia Foundation, who connected us to Dr. Tracey Woodruff at UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment. During a Rachel’s Network webinar, Tracey educated us on how PRHE advances environmental reproductive health research and translates science into policy, enhanced health care, and heightened public awareness.
“Rachel Carson would hate for chemical industry lobbyists to succeed in hiding the health risks of their products,” said Alison. “Rachel’s Network support for UCSF’s glyphosate document library is such a perfect alignment and it will help us ensure that we know as much as possible about what Monsanto and others know about this widely-used herbicide.”
UCSF’s Industry Documents Library is one of the premier industry document repositories in the world. Their tobacco archives helped change policy and were used as a primary source for over 900 articles, reports, documentaries.
“This project honors the spirit of our namesake Rachel Carson, and her quest to shed light on health and environmental impacts of toxics,” said President Fern Shepard. “As the chemical industry and the current administration hobble the EPA, it is imperative that this important research lives in a secure, impartial, and reputable public database.”
To learn more about this work or to contribute to this effort, please email Rachel’s Network Engagement Director Ariana Carella at ariana@rachelsnetwork.org.