Commune with Jeff Krasno Glyphosate, Soil Health, and the Fight Over Food Safety
Feb 24, 2026
An in-depth look at glyphosate: how it works chemically and why GMO crops changed its use. Discussion of residues, soil nutrient chelation, and harm to soil microbes and earthworms. Coverage of the legal and political fight, Bayer’s business model, major lawsuits, and a Supreme Court case that could reshape liability. Exploration of what a true shift away from chemical‑dependent farming would require.
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Earthworms Decline After Glyphosate Use
- Glyphosate formulations (including adjuvants) reduce earthworm activity and reproduction, harming humus formation and soil aeration.
- Declining worm populations contribute to compaction, increased runoff, erosion, and poorer water retention between rains.
Less Cover Crops Means Less Soil Carbon
- Removing living plant cover and lowering microbial diversity reduces soil carbon sequestration, causing organic carbon to oxidize and return to the atmosphere.
- Monoculture fields with heavy tillage and minimal cover crop accelerate carbon loss from soils.
Seed Patents Created Chemical‑Seed Dependency
- The commercial model linking patented glyphosate‑tolerant seeds with Roundup created vertical dependency: farmers cannot save seeds and become reliant on suppliers for both seed genetics and chemical inputs.
- Monsanto's model turned seeds into licensed IP and centralized control, later acquired by Bayer in 2018 for $63 billion.