Overview: One of the most popular pesticides used to reduce weed growth for decades has recently come under intensive public scrutiny. Glyphosate, the key ingredient in RoundUp, has no doubt saved the average consumer millions of dollars in lower food costs. Third world countries in danger of mass starvation look to all the pesticides, like glyphosate, as life savers. The benefits of herbicides in agricultural production cannot be overstated. Glyphosate is used on virtually all the corn, soybeans, turf and cotton grown in the United States. In 2012, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that 283.5 million pounds were used on farm fields in that year alone. Internationally, glyphosate is used in 160 countries with applications reaching approximately 1.4 billion pounds of the chemical per year. Concerned scientists are wondering if it is now time to explore better ways to grow crops, to negate the consequences of glyphosate on the environment and public health.