General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Monsanto's Roundup Weedkiller Linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS [View all]HeartoftheMidwest
(309 posts)....to make it ripen faster.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-dewey-rohrich/the-truth-about-toxic-wheat_b_6180498.html
But not ALL wheat farmers use the practice:
"Pre-harvesting wheat with glyphosate (most commonly Roundup) is not something the majority of wheat farmers across the nation do. There is a small sector and region of wheat production that practices this: mainly North Dakota, small parts of South Dakota, and parts of Canada. In the United States, North Dakota represents about 5% of total wheat acres produced. We are, however, the second hard red spring wheat producer in the nation. So the claim that this occurs everywhere is not at all valid or true since only about 5% of the total production practices this pre-harvesting."
But some do:
"But on top of not having to maintain or run another piece of equipment, one of the biggest advantages is that pre-harvesting with glyphosate allows very even ripening of the wheat. Glyphosate has been shown to reduce the amount of time that it takes for a crop to reach harvest moisture if conditions are not favorable for drying. Even ripening is important to maintain quality (test weight) in our wheat crop. Some years it is a more viable practice in heavy or lodged wheat (basically wheat that has fallen down) or uneven emergence after planting. We also have the added benefit of an opportunity to control weeds pre-harvest with a glyphosate application. "
It's possibly this practice that was referenced above.