Chuck Benbrook is an agricultural economist with a PhD in agricultural economics who has also farmed commercially. From 1979 to 1997 he worked on agricultural policy in Washington, D.C., including as executive director of the National Academy of Sciences' Board on Agriculture and of a House Agriculture subcommittee. He has spent more than 40 years researching farming systems, pest management, and pesticide regulation.
For the past 25 years, Chuck has served as an expert witness in pesticide litigation involving glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, and paraquat. His 2025 paper proposes that glyphosate can persist in human bone. He is involved with the Heartland Health Research Alliance, which is running a Midwest birth cohort study on herbicide exposure.
In this episode, John and Chuck discuss:
Additional Resources
To read Chuck's paper on glyphosate persistence in bone, please visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-025-01057-1
To read Chuck's widely cited paper on trends in glyphosate use, please visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
To read Chuck's widely cited paper on how genetically engineered crops changed pesticide use, please visit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2190-4715-24-24
To learn more about the Heartland Health Research Alliance, please visit: https://hh-ra.org
To read about the Heartland Study, a Midwest birth cohort study on herbicide exposure, please visit: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-17171-9
To listen to John's conversation with Don Huber, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/podcast/season-2-kickoff-with-don-huber/
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by speakers on the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) or its employees. Appearances do not constitute an endorsement by AEA, and AEA does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of statements made by guests. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional agronomic, medical, legal, or financial advice. Always follow product labels and applicable laws, and consult a qualified professional before making decisions for your operation or your health.
About John Kempf
John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.
Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.
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