Glyphosate Residues in Feed

There is widespread confusion on pesticide residue tolerances in feed and food. Assumptions that tolerances are safety-based limits and that exceedances will result in a risk of illness in animals or humans are generally incorrect. Tolerances are set based on actual residue values following proper application in accordance with label instructions, and are designed primarily to enforce proper application. While tolerances in feed must ultimately protect both animals and animal product consumers (via meat, milk and eggs), the large majority of tolerances fall far below any level of safety concern. Glyphosate residues occur in animal feed because of the use for in-crop weed control in glyphosate-tolerant cropping systems and some use as a pre-harvest desiccating agent. Based on extensive data, allowable glyphosate tolerances in feed are set far below levels of health concern. Animal feed efficiency and other data demonstrate no adverse effects of glyphosate residues (or GM crops) on animal performance measures. Actual measurements of glyphosate in meat, milk, and eggs are generally undetectable and overall human intake is far below levels of regulatory concern as reflected in human biomonitoring data.