How Pesticides and Herbicides Affect Farmers

These cancer-causing chemicals are a risk in our food, but they're an even greater risk for the people who grow it

Glyphosate is found in our water, air, and bodies—as well as most of our food. That's unfortunate for us, and can be tragic for farmers. PIPAT YAPATHANASAP/Shutterstock

In the past few decades, thousands of studies have revealed the negative consequences of herbicides and pesticides on human and planetary health. But few people—even among those who buy organic—think about who’s really most at risk.

According to a report released in June by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 81.4 percent of Americans older than the age of 6 tested positive for high levels of glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer.