Kevin Vickers, Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, today issued a call for Government to convene a panel of experts from the forestry industry, environmental groups, agriculture, and business leaders to explore alternatives to the use of glyphosate in New Brunswick.

“The use of glyphosate in our forests has been controversial in New Brunswick for quite some time,” said Kevin Vickers. “We need to begin to explore ways to manage our Province’s vast forests without the use of these chemicals, the safety of which has been called into question.”

Vickers said the work on finding an alternative to the spray needs to start now.

“I would suggest we allow some time for experts to come together and explore viable alternatives,” said Vickers. “Although our goal must be to find a more environmentally- friendly option as soon as possible.”

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that is used in the forestry and agriculture industries for weed and hardwood-growth control. According to the New Brunswick Department of Health, it is also present in industrial, commercial and domestic settings. The herbicide is approved for use by Health Canada, but has been labelled “probably carcinogenic” by the World Health Organization.

It is widely used in both the Agriculture and Forestry industry throughout North America, including for things such as wheat crops in Western Canada and corn crops in Quebec and Ontario.