History

• Original formula Roundup was invented by the Monsanto Company and first introduced to the market in 1974. Roundup is now widely used in the United States and in over 130 countries worldwide.
  
  

How It Works

• As an herbicide, Roundup kills all green plants it touches except those that have been genetically modified by Monsanto to resist it. It works systemically, meaning it gets absorbed by leaves and stems and kills the entire plant, roots and all.
  
  

Roundup Ready Crops

• Most U.S. grown corn is Roundup Ready.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Nicholas
  
  Roundup Ready crops such as corn and soybeans have been genetically altered to resist Roundup. This allows farmers to spray an entire field, killing all the weeds that steal light and nutrients, but leave the desired crops unharmed.
  
  

Benefits

• According to Monsanto, Roundup in conjunction with Roundup Ready genetically modified seeds will double the yield of crops such as soybeans, corn and cotton by 2030.
  
  

Controversy

• The French University of Caen showed recently that the inactive ingredients in Roundup can kill human cells, leading to birth defects and miscarriages. Despite the EPA suggesting roundup is safe, many countries have started to ban its use due to links with cancer.