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Video: Why isn't weed killer working anymore?
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Farmers used to worry about weeds. Then, herbicides solved that problem. At least for a while. In 1997, there were 432 new patents for herbicides; by 2009, there were only 65.
Developing broad-spectrum glyphosate and "Roundup Ready" crops worked so well that people basically stopped looking for new herbicides.
But then the weeds started fighting back.
Provided by American Chemical Society