Date: 6 May 2026
Glyphosate ban risks higher food prices, new farmer evidence shows
Farmers warn glyphosate ban would increase costs, damage soils and threaten UK food production
United Oilseeds is today releasing new farmer-led evidence on the role of glyphosate in UK food production, following renewed public debate around its use as a pre-harvest desiccant.
The data, based on responses from 767 growers across Great Britain to a collaborative survey conducted between December 2025 and March 2026, was originally gathered to inform policymakers ahead of the UK’s 2026 glyphosate approval decision.
Until now, the findings have not been made public. However, in light of recent calls from the Soil Association and media coverage, including this morning’s discussion on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today and recent reporting in The Independent, United Oilseeds believes it is important to bring this real-world farm evidence into the public domain.
The survey highlights the critical role glyphosate plays in harvest management, particularly in the UK’s maritime climate, where short and unpredictable harvest windows make consistent crop ripening a major challenge.
Real-world impact on food production
The survey highlights how widely glyphosate is used as a harvest management tool:
For consumers, farmers warn, this would translate directly into higher food prices and increased reliance on imports. And many of those imports undoubtedly would have been sprayed with glyphosate pre-harvest, exacerbating the unlevel playing field for UK farmers.
Imports are specifically referenced in DEFRA’s UK Food Security Digest at the end of last year:
“…the UK is becoming increasingly reliant on imports of vegetable oils to fulfil domestic demand.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-digest-2025/united-kingdom-food-security-digest-2025#animal_plant
Environmental trade-offs
While calls to restrict glyphosate are often framed as environmentally beneficial, farmers say the reality is more complex.
Without it, many would be forced to:
During the Farming Today discussion, Andy Neal from The Centre for Dynamic Soils acknowledged that removing glyphosate is likely to result in more cultivation, a shift that risks undoing progress in soil health and carbon management.
Particular impact in northern regions
The effects would be most severe in Scotland, Northern England and Wales, where shorter and less predictable harvest windows make crop timing more challenging.
In the survey, 97% of respondents in northern regions reported currently using glyphosate in one or more of the crops listed.
United Oilseeds Director and Scottish Borders farmer Colin McGregor said:
“If pre-harvest glyphosate is removed and harvests are pushed later, the whole system starts to break down.
It means higher costs, more fuel use, more drying, and ultimately higher food prices. In some areas, it could make crops like oilseed rape unviable.”
No clear alternatives
Farmers report there is currently no reliable alternative for managing uneven or late-ripening crops.
Options such as swathing are limited by weather and cost, while relying on natural ripening increases the risk of yield loss and reduced quality.
Many growers say this would force them to drop key break crops such as oilseed rape and pulses, narrowing crop rotations and reducing resilience in farming systems.
A call for evidence-based decisions
The Soil Association has raised concerns about glyphosate residues in food. Farmers stress that any decisions must consider both regulatory safety standards and the practical realities of producing food in the UK.
With a decision on glyphosate approval due by the end of 2026, growers are urging policymakers to take a balanced, evidence-based approach.
They warn that banning pre-harvest use without viable alternatives could:
As one farmer put it in the survey:
“This isn’t theoretical — it affects whether we can keep producing food in this country.”
United Oilseeds Managing Director James Warner comments on today’s announcement:
“Frankly, it’s very disappointing and somewhat contradictory that an organisation focused on protecting soils is calling for measures that could ultimately damage them.
“Policy must be grounded in practical, evidence-based outcomes and reflect the realities of food production and global supply chains. Measures such as this risk significantly reducing UK oilseed rape production at a time when demand for vegetable oils continues to grow, resulting in increased imports of rapeseed, oilseeds and oils from countries that continue to use glyphosate, and in many cases operate to lower environmental standards — while also adding unnecessary transport emissions.
“The outcome is likely to be reduced UK food security, higher food prices and further pressure on the domestic farming economy.
“Our survey clearly shows the practical reality for farmers across the country, with removal of pre-harvest desiccation having severe consequences for farm businesses and food production. This is further amplified by the UK’s maritime climate, which is very different from many EU countries, meaning that without this tool the impact here would be significantly more damaging for both farmers and the resilience of our food system.
“Decisions on its future use must therefore be proportionate, balanced, and fully reflective of the realities of UK farming.”
