Study warns glyphosate ban could significantly reduce farm revenue
A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Soybean Association suggests that a ban on glyphosate could have serious financial consequences for Illinois farmers. Researchers estimate that corn and soybean growers could lose between $300 million and $609 million annually, equal to a revenue reduction of 1.8% to 3.6%.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used weed-control products in corn and soybean production. Researchers examined current usage, production costs, and crop yield data to estimate what could happen if farmers were forced to switch to alternative herbicides.
According to the study, replacement products would likely be more expensive and slightly less effective. This change could lead to lower crop yields and higher production costs. Researchers noted that many farmers are already facing tight profit margins, making even modest losses difficult to absorb.
“I don't know of any farmer who wants to take a revenue loss by any stretch of the imagination, and especially when we've got such tight margins right now,” said study co-author Aaron Hager, professor and faculty Extension specialist in the Department of Crop Sciences, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. “Profits have been projected to be negative again this year for a lot of Illinois farmers, many of which may be on the verge of not being able to survive.”
The analysis was led by agricultural economists and crop specialists who reviewed herbicide expenses, expected yield impacts, and potential market changes if glyphosate were removed from use. Their findings suggest that growers would face both direct financial losses and higher operational expenses.
“We actually discussed studying several different chemicals initially and landed on glyphosate,” said study co-author Corey Lacey, environmental policy manager at the Illinois Soybean Association. “We chose it because a glyphosate ban would probably have the biggest impact on farmers since it is one of the most used crop protection tools by corn and soybean farmers in Illinois. So a glyphosate ban is something that we really have to talk about and put some real numbers to.”
The study also highlighted that glyphosate plays an important role in conservation farming practices, including no-till systems. Without glyphosate, more farmers may need to increase tillage operations, leading to higher fuel use, additional labor costs, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers noted that the study focused primarily on economic impacts and did not fully measure potential environmental, health, or supply chain effects associated with a ban. As a result, the estimated losses may represent only part of the overall impact.
The findings provide policymakers and industry stakeholders with new data to consider as discussions around pesticide regulations continue. Researchers believe the approach used in this study could also help evaluate the effects of future restrictions on other crop protection products.
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