By Fiona Broom

ABC Rural

Topic: Agricultural Chemicals

Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:37am

Some farming industries use pesticides to produce food.

In short:

Scientists found a link between pesticide exposure and ALS risk.

ALS is a kind of motor neurone disease.

Farmers say pesticides are necessary for food production.

Workers exposed to pesticides may have a higher risk of ALS.

The use of pesticides has increased globally, along with ALS rates.

Australia's chemical regulator has restricted the use of paraquat.

Men exposed to pesticides may be twice as likely to develop ALS.

There was no increased risk found for women in the study.

The study's authors say pesticide exposure may increase ALS risk.

Chemicals are involved in lawsuits

Pesticides are used to kill weeds and insects.

Farming industries rely on synthetic pesticides like paraquat.

Many lawsuits have been filed over glyphosate and cancer.

A sign warns people about pesticide use.

Some countries have banned or restricted glyphosate use.

Australia's regulator restricted paraquat use in June.

The regulator said paraquat does not increase Parkinson's risk.

The regulator imposed restrictions on paraquat use.

Syngenta stopped selling paraquat in Australia.

Pesticides are critical for agriculture

Farmers support more research on pesticide health effects.

Cotton is a crop that relies heavily on pesticides.

Farmers are aware of the risks of working with chemicals.

Farm chemicals are necessary for food production.

A farmer has been working with pesticides since the 1980s.

The farmer supports research on pesticide application.

'Not a eureka moment'

A specialist says the study supports the link between pesticides and ALS.

More research is needed on which chemicals cause ALS.

A motor neurone disease researcher is studying ALS.

The evidence for the link between pesticides and ALS is not consistent.

Researchers need to find out which components of pesticides increase ALS risk.

A professor says people should not panic about the study's findings.

There is unlikely to be a single cause of motor neurone diseases.

Reducing pesticide exposure is a good precaution.

See more ABC coverage

Promotion

Hörübung