The last time I covered the topic of the week-killing compound called glyphosate, it was in the context of concern over chemical supply shortages in 2022.
In that report, I shared concerns about the lack of phosphorus, used in compounds that support agriculture. I also noted that farmers were struggling because weeds had developed resistance to the exposure levels of this chemical, usually linked to the product Roundup.
This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order using the Defense Production Act (DPA) to prioritize and expand U.S. production of elemental phosphorus and ensure adequate production of glyphosate‑based herbicides, designating them as “critical” to national defense and food security and extending liability protections to producers that comply with the order.
“I find that ensuring robust domestic elemental phosphorus mining and United States-based production of glyphosate-based herbicides is central to American economic and national security,” Trump said in the order. “Without immediate Federal action, the United States remains inadequately equipped and vulnerable.”
…Phosphorus, which is also covered in the order, is a precursor to the production of glyphosate and is also used in the manufacturing of certain military equipment.
The order will require Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to issue orders and regulations to implement the increased supply of phosphorus and glyphosate.
A White House Fact sheet on the executive order said Trump signed it to “ensure domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, the loss of which would cripple critical supply chains.”
FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY: Thank you, President Trump, for acknowledging the importance of glyphosate-based herbicides in American agriculture. This is a vital step forward in ensuring a domestic supply of this critical crop input remains available for our producers. pic.twitter.com/SE9ebKUgoW
— House Committee on Agriculture (@HouseAgGOP) February 19, 2026