This 2016 documentary explores the global debate around glyphosate—bringing together scientists, farmers, and regulators from across Europe.
Poisoned Fields – Glyphosate, the Underrated Risk? was released in January 2016, during a period when the global debate around glyphosate safety was intensifying. The film captures a moment when regulators, scientists, and farmers were openly disagreeing about how the herbicide should be assessed—and what the available evidence really showed.
Nearly a decade later, the questions raised in the documentary have not disappeared. In some ways, they have resurfaced. Recently, a scientific paper that had been widely cited to support glyphosate’s safety was fully retracted from the scientific record after concerns were raised about the reliability of its analysis. While regulators in many countries continue to maintain that glyphosate can be used safely under approved conditions, others see developments like this as a reminder that the underlying science is still being debated.
For viewers watching the documentary today, that context matters. The film reflects the scientific and regulatory landscape of 2015–2016, but many of the questions it raises remain part of an ongoing conversation about how agricultural chemicals are evaluated.
Why This Matters in New Zealand
For New Zealand readers, the issues explored in the documentary are not purely international.
Glyphosate is widely used across New Zealand agriculture, horticulture, and land management. It is also commonly applied in public spaces such as roadsides, parks, and rail corridors. Because the herbicide is so deeply embedded in modern farming systems, decisions about how it is regulated can have broad implications for both producers and consumers.
In 2025, New Zealand Food Safety reviewed glyphosate residue limits across several crops. While earlier proposals signalled the possibility of higher allowable residues, the final decision held limits for key grains such as wheat, barley, and oats at 0.1 mg/kg. At the same time, pre-harvest use of glyphosate on these crops—commonly used overseas to dry crops before harvest—was no longer permitted.
An exception was made for dry field peas, where a higher residue limit was introduced in line with international trade settings.
This outcome reflects something the documentary touches on repeatedly: regulatory decisions rarely sit in isolation. They are shaped by a combination of scientific assessment, agricultural practice, trade considerations, and, at times, public input.
For consumers, these limits define what levels of glyphosate residues may legally appear in food. For farmers, they influence how crops can be managed and which practices remain available.
The documentary raises broader questions about how those limits are set in the first place, what types of studies are relied upon, and how differing scientific interpretations are resolved.
For New Zealanders following the glyphosate discussion, the film provides useful context. It shows that the tensions between science, regulation, and real-world farming are not unique to New Zealand—they are part of a much larger, ongoing conversation.
It’s also a reminder of why independent testing and transparent reporting continue to matter—especially when the answers are not always as settled as they first appear.
Image Source & Attribution
Image created by No More Glyphosate NZ using a screenshot from Poisoned Fields – Glyphosate, the Underrated Risk? (2016, wocomoDOCS), with additional editing in Canva.
