Researcher rejects criticism of his glyphosate studies

As a scientist, he has "always been independent" and has "worked in a scientifically clean manner without any directing influence from third parties," agricultural economist michael schmitz told the deutsche presse-agentur on friday.

In the studies from 2018 and 2019, the scientist presents the pesticide glyphosate in a positive light from an economic point of view – if it were banned, there would be billions in losses for europe's agriculture, he says. Now schmitz said: "yes, my results may please farmers and the economy, but they are scientifically proven."

The lobbycontrol association had called the covert influence of monsanto, now a bayer subsidiary, "unacceptable". Schmitz, on the other hand, emphasized that at the time the studies were written, there was "no reason and no public pressure" to disclose "the sources of third-party funding, because only the quality of the work was decisive and you could rely on reputable scientists.

The professor accused lobbycontrol and the media, which had reported critically on the subject, of a "transparent campaign" and "pure lobbying for the supporters of a glyphosate ban". The now emeritus professor was active for a long time at the university of gieben, and also advised the federal ministry of agriculture, among others. Schmitz stressed that he would not be deterred in the future from making "uncomfortable statements that contradict the zeitgeist, but are scientifically sound.