Glysophate in honey under investigation

It follows a complaint by a beekeepers’ union in Aisne against the makers of the biggest glyphosate brand Roundup (German company Bayer, which has bought Monsanto and has French headquarters at Lyon).

The herbicide, considered ‘probably carcinogenic’ by the World Health Organisation, is presumed to have contaminated the honey because bees cover a wide area in search of pollen.

The case was sparked after one beekeeper had a 900kg delivery rejected by a large honey group due to the herbicide, despite the fact it was at a level below what is permitted.

The French government plans to ban most uses of it by 2021 and completely in five years.