President Trump just signed an executive order on February 18, 2026, using the Defense Production Act to boost and protect domestic production of glyphosate-based herbicides (like Roundup) and elemental phosphorus, calling them essential for national security, food supply, and military readiness.

Protecting glyphosate is a real betrayal to the MAHA agenda.

The whole point is to make America healthier by tackling toxins and chronic disease drivers, yet recent moves like this executive order boosting production of this chemical (the active ingredient in Roundup) go the opposite direction and hand Big Ag a win at the expense of public health concerns.

The Rodale Institute's 40-year Farming Systems Trial proves organic corn and soybeans match conventional yields overall and often outperform them by up to 31% in droughts or tough weather, all thanks to healthier, more resilient soil.

So why don't more farmers switch?

Big Ag has created a system that makes it really hard to leave the chemical-dependent path.

Patented GMO seeds like Roundup Ready come with tight contracts: no saving or replanting, which means farmers have to buy fresh seeds from companies like Bayer every single year. That locks in a big recurring expense.

Many have invested heavily in conventional equipment: no-till planters, large sprayers, and storage built specifically for corn and soy. Switching to organic would require new tools for mechanical weeding and cover crops, a huge upfront cost most farmers can't easily cover.

Debt and financing add another layer. Machinery is often leased or loaned for conventional setups, so breaking out can mean penalties or higher rates. Plus, the three-year organic transition cuts income before premium prices kick in.

Land adds pressure too. About 40% of U.S. farmland is rented, and landlords usually want maximum short-term yields from chemicals to keep property values high. Any early dip during transition risks losing the lease, so renters hesitate to invest in long-term soil health they might not benefit from.

The supply chain favors conventional crops: elevators, buyers, and transport are all set up for commodity grains. Organic requires separate channels, more labor, and certification steps, even though it can pay better in the long run.

It's basically a treadmill.

Superweeds push more chemical use, debt keeps building, and switching feels too risky.

Rodale proves organic can be more resilient and profitable over time, but the whole system is stacked to keep farmers dependent.

And “protecting Roundup” just makes us even more trapped on this treadmill, entrenching the very chemical reliance MAHA was supposed to challenge.

Beware the natural health influencers and organizations who defend this, spin it, ignore it, or try to gaslight us into accepting it—don't let them sell out the movement.