California Wine Report

New research showing the chemical glyphosate in some California wines is making the rounds of news services. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller. The report supposedly came from a St. Louis test lab, Microbe Inotech and showed glyphosate in 10 different wines from both large and small vineyards. The reports is being questioned by wine industry leaders including the Washington Wine Commissions president, Steve Warner who after some research into the issue said what they found was questionable.

WARNER: The detection levels were so low and supposedly the lab found the glyphosate also in biodynamic organic vineyards that have never used Roundup so it tends to cast doubt on the study.

Last month the Environmental Institute in Munich, Germany, tested 14 of the best selling beers in Germany and found that all of them contained traces of glyphosate. It was after this study that the St. Louis lab decided to research wines. Some groups are calling for further testing of Monsanto's Roundup after the World Health Organization deemed glyphosate a probable carcinogen. They also feel that the contamination is widespread based on findings of herbicides in consumer products. The amount of glyphosate found in the wines was very small and the study was only looking for whether the wines contained the chemical, not what kind of health risk it would pose. But until more testing is done the research appears to be on the dubious side.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.