Brazil agrochemical group to appeal ruling suspending glyphosate

Brazil-based agrochemical companies plan to appeal a ruling suspending the use of glyphosate in Brazil, an industry spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

 

Glyphosate was suspended in Brazil by a court ruling last week pending a government reevaluation of its toxicity.

 

Silvia Fagnani, executive director of a pesticide industry group known as Sindiveg, said the appeal in Brazil would be filed by next week. She said Brazilian health agency Anvisa, as well as the Agriculture Ministry, were also going to file separate appeals against the decision to suspend glyphosate and another two chemicals used in agriculture.

 

Anvisa, which started reevaluating glyphosate, insecticide abamectin and fungicide thiram in 2008, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The ministry confirmed the intention to file an appeal in statement sent to Reuters.

 

The agrochemicals toxicity reevaluation started when new evidence surfaced that glyphosate and the other two chemicals included in the ruling “could pose danger or risk to human health,” court filings said referring to the Anvisa process.

 

Fagnani said glyphosate is safe and authorized in many countries. She said sale and commercial use should continue in Brazil until the Agriculture Ministry, responsible for registration of agrochemicals, publishes any decision otherwise.

 

“All of the system of direct planting is based on glyphosate, and it will be a gigantic environment setback (to suspend it),” Brazilian Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said.