How Corporate Immunity Is Being Extended From Pharma to Pesticides
Introduction: Why This Title Exists
Many Americans did not vote solely on party lines. They voted based on expectations.
When Donald Trump was elected, many people believed he would be tougher on powerful corporations and more protective of U.S. citizens. For many voters, this included food safety, reduced harmful chemicals, and stronger public health protections.
“America First” was widely understood to mean safer food, less corporate influence, and more protection for everyday Americans.
That expectation matters because food safety is not abstract. It affects cancer risk, children’s health, and long-term disease. This article explains why those expectations now clash with reality, and why that contradiction is the reason for this title.
Safety Is More Than Approval, It Is the Right to Fight Back
Food safety is not just about whether a chemical is allowed.
Food safety also means citizens have the right to respond when harm occurs.
That includes the right to sue companies in state courts, present new scientific evidence, and force unsafe products off the market.
This issue becomes even more serious given Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s public stance on food and environmental safety.
If safety truly matters, legal accountability must remain part of the system.
Before We Go Further: Pesticides vs Herbicides
Pesticides are chemicals used to control or kill pests that harm crops. This includes insects, fungi, rodents, and weeds.
Herbicides are pesticides designed to kill weeds and other unwanted plants.
In simple terms, all herbicides are pesticides, but not all pesticides are herbicides.
Simple analogy
Pesticides are like a toolbox.
Herbicides are one tool inside the box, the one made to kill weeds.
This matters because the most widely debated chemicals today are herbicides, applied directly to crops people eat, often year after year.
Glyphosate (GLY-fo-sayt): Widespread Use, Serious Warnings
Glyphosate (GLY-fo-sayt) is the main ingredient in Roundup, a weed killer sprayed on corn, soy, and wheat. It is produced by Bayer, which acquired Monsanto.
Glyphosate has been detected in food and water, in human urine, blood, and breast milk, in some observational studies.
These findings do not prove harm by themselves, but they show that exposure does not stay on the farm. It enters the human body, including into vulnerable populations such as infants.
Simple analogy
Finding a chemical in blood or breast milk is like seeing smoke inside a house. It does not indicate the size of the fire, but it suggests that smoke entered the building.
What “Carcinogenic” Actually Means
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen.
This classification was based on human population studies, animal studies showing cancer development, and evidence of DNA and cellular damage.
Simple analogy
Calling something “probably carcinogenic” is like saying a bridge is “probably unsafe.” You do not wait for it to collapse before taking action.
Thousands of people with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma have sued Bayer, and many juries ruled in favor of those harmed.
Atrazine (AT-ruh-zeen): Banned Elsewhere, Used Here
Atrazine (AT-ruh-zeen) is the second most widely used herbicide in the United States and is applied primarily to corn.
Atrazine is banned across the European Union because it disrupts hormones, contaminates groundwater, and raises long-term health concerns.
Yet it remains legal and widely used in the United States.
Where Corn Is Grown, Cancer Rates Are Higher
Most U.S. corn is grown in a small number of states, including Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, and Kansas.
These states apply some of the highest amounts of atrazine and other herbicides year after year. Epidemiological studies show that several of these same states also report higher rates of certain cancers, especially in rural and farming communities.
This does not prove causation. But when heavy chemical use and higher cancer prevalence overlap in the same regions, the pattern deserves serious attention.
The Global Reality: The U.S. Is the Outlier
Many modern countries follow the precautionary principle, meaning chemicals are restricted or banned when credible evidence of harm exists.
Other countries have banned or restricted glyphosate and atrazine, adopted safer farming practices, and shown that food can be grown without heavy chemical dependence.
The United States continues to allow these chemicals while protecting manufacturers from accountability. This is not a knowledge problem. It is a policy choice.
EPA Approval Is Not the Same as Proof of Safety
The Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is “not likely carcinogenic,” but this conclusion relies heavily on industry-funded studies.
Concerns include limited reliance on independent science, outdated safety assumptions, and the retraction of a key study on the safety of glyphosate.
Approval means that a chemical met regulatory requirements at a given point in time. It does not mean long-term safety is settled.
The Supreme Court and the Right to Sue
Chemical companies are pushing for federal preemption, arguing that EPA approval should block state-level lawsuits.
There is growing concern that the Supreme Court of the United States may hear a case that could decide whether citizens lose the right to sue.
If that happens, one of the last lines of defense for public health could disappear.
A Pattern Americans Have Already Seen: Pharma Immunity
During the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmaceutical companies received broad legal immunity under emergency authorities. These protections were established under the Trump Administration and maintained by the Biden Administration.
What began as temporary became permanent.
When immunity for one industry is preserved across administrations, it creates a blueprint that other industries follow.
What You Can Do Right Now to Reduce Exposure
You cannot entirely fix the system alone, but you can reduce exposure.
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- You cannot remove these chemicals. They are absorbed into plants.
- Choose organic fruits and vegetables when possible.
- Avoid packaged foods labeled “Contains Bioengineered Food Ingredients.”
- Reduce ultra-processed foods made with corn, soy, and wheat.
Support Your Body’s Natural Ability to Handle Toxins
Even with wise food choices, some exposure is unavoidable. That is why supporting your body’s biology matters.
Cell Membrane Fluidity
Healthy cell membranes allow nutrients in and waste out. Rigid membranes trap toxins and increase damage.
Glutathione
Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant. It binds toxins and supports their removal through the liver and digestive system.
Indole-3-Propionic Acid (IPA)
Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) is one of the body’s most potent antioxidants. It is produced in the gut by healthy bacteria and helps neutralize oxidative damage caused by toxins.
True detoxification occurs when cells function properly, membranes are fluid, the liver is supported, and the gut produces protective compounds such as IPA.
Final Takeaway and Invitation
Other countries have shown that safer food systems are possible. The United States can do the same.
If the federal government will not ban proven or probable carcinogens, it must at least allow states to protect their citizens and preserve the right to sue.
At the same time, personal health matters. The stronger and more balanced your body is, the better it can protect itself and eliminate toxins naturally.
If you have questions or want to learn more about our nutrition programs and at-home tests that help optimize personal wellness, you are welcome to email me directly at robert@dietfreelife.com or schedule a free consultation.
Food safety is not just a policy issue.
It is a personal health issue.
References
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- Benbrook, C. M. (2016). Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Environmental Sciences Europe, 28(1).
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2015). IARC Monographs, Volume 112. World Health Organization.
- S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Glyphosate Interim Registration Review.
- Sass, J. B., & Colangelo, A. (2006). European Union bans atrazine while the U.S. negotiates continued use. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 12(3), 260–267.
- Mesnage, R., & Antoniou, M. N. (2018). Facts and fallacies in the debate on glyphosate toxicity. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 316.
- Steinborn, A., et al. (2016). Determination of glyphosate levels in breast milk samples. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64(6), 1414–1421.
- Goldstein, B. D., & Osofsky, H. J. (2011). Cancer clusters and epidemiology. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(2), A48–A49.
- S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020–2024). PREP Act Declarations and Amendments.
- Lu, S. C. (2013). Glutathione synthesis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1830(5), 3143–3153.
- Townsend, D. M., Tew, K. D., & Tapiero, H. (2003). The importance of glutathione in human disease. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 57(3–4), 145–155.
- Wikoff, W. R., et al. (2009). Gut microflora and blood metabolites. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(10), 3698–3703.
- Chyan, Y. J., et al. (1999). Neuroprotective properties of indole-3-propionic acid. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 274(31), 21937–21942.
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Robert Ferguson is a California- and Florida-based single father of two daughters, clinical nutritionist, Omega Balancing Coach™, researcher, best-selling author, speaker, podcast and television host, health advisor, NAACP Image Award Nominee, creator of the Diet Free Life methodology, and Chief Nutrition Officer for iCoura Health. He also serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association and the Health and Product Advisory Board for Zinzino, Inc.
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