By Julie Tomascik
Editor

President Donald Trump issued an executive order prioritizing U.S. production of glyphosate, citing the herbicide’s critical use to national security.

The order, titled Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides, invokes the Defense Production Act to strengthen domestic supply chains for glyphosate and elemental phosphorus. The administration said both materials are essential to agriculture, defense and economic stability.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are widely used by farmers and ranchers to control weeds, support conservation practices and maintain crop yields. The executive order frames continued access to the crop protection tool as a matter of food security, stating reliable production is necessary to safeguard the nation’s food supply and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

Elemental phosphorus, also included in the order, is used in defense technologies, semiconductors and battery production. The administration said bolstering domestic production of both materials will strengthen national resilience and protect critical supply chains.

Under the directive, federal agencies are instructed to prioritize domestic manufacturing capacity and ensure the availability of materials needed to produce glyphosate and elemental phosphorus. The order also extends certain liability protections under the Defense Production Act to domestic producers.

Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said the executive order reinforces the importance of science-based crop protection tools for farmers and ranchers.

“Texas Farm Bureau has made it a priority to defend farmers’ and ranchers’ access to safe, proven, science-based crop protection tools by engaging leaders in Washington and hosting farm and ranch tours across Texas to demonstrate how modern agriculture works,” Boening said. “We appreciate President Trump and his administration for listening to producers and recognizing that food security is national security. This action helps protect Texas farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to continue producing the safest food and fiber that sustain our state and nation.”

The executive order comes amid ongoing debate surrounding glyphosate, which has faced legal and environmental scrutiny in recent years.

The action by the Trump administration, however, signals that access to agricultural inputs is not only an economic issue, but also directly related to national defense and the long-term stability of the U.S. food system.