Meet Kelly Ryerson — The Glyphosate Girl: Two Conversations on LIFELONG Podcast
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
If you've been following the food safety conversation in 2026, you've heard the name Kelly Ryerson.
Known online as The Glyphosate Girl, Kelly has spent over a decade at the intersection of agriculture and human health — educating consumers, collaborating with scientists and regenerative farmers, co-founding the advocacy organization American Regeneration, and building one of the most trusted independent voices on pesticide exposure in the country. In 2026 alone, she has protested outside the U.S. Supreme Court at the "People vs. Poison" rally, met with White House officials to advocate for consumer protection, helped push through a key Farm Bill amendment stripping pesticide liability shield language, and been quoted by NPR, CNBC, Al Jazeera, and The Hill as one of the leading voices in the national glyphosate conversation.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Kelly — not once, but twice — on LIFELONG Podcast. Her first appearance was her debut, and we followed it up with a second conversation to cover everything that had changed. Both are essential listening. This post captures the most important things Kelly shared — including moments from our conversations that you won't find anywhere else.
Who Is Kelly Ryerson?
Kelly Ryerson works at the intersection of agriculture and human health. She regularly collaborates with regenerative farmers, scientists, policymakers, and media to address agrochemical damage to our soil and bodies. She is the co-Executive Director of American Regeneration and the founder of the news site Glyphosate Facts. She holds a BA from Dartmouth, an MBA from Stanford, and completed training in integrative health coaching at Duke Integrative Medicine.
What makes Kelly's voice so powerful isn't just her credentials — it's her personal story. Before she became the Glyphosate Girl, she was a mother who couldn't walk.
Kelly's Story — How She Got Here
In our first conversation, Kelly shared something that stopped me in my tracks. She described a period of her life where she was so sick she couldn't support the weight of her own body:
"I was so exhausted I couldn't really even walk. I'd gone to so many doctors and specialists at Stanford and UCSF and no one had any answers for me. The doctors couldn't make the connection as to what was wrong with me, so they dismissed it as — well, she must be crazy."
She was prescribed Valium for anxiety. The moment she took it, she became immediately dependent.
"My body was so thirsty for something. I'm not addictive. I don't even really drink ever. But immediately I was dependent."
A psychiatrist's intake bloodwork finally showed something alarming — vitamin deficiencies so severe, Kelly said, that you'd only expect to see them in someone dying in a third world country. Her Harvard and Stanford-trained primary care doctor's response? "That doesn't really explain what's wrong with you."
Eventually, going gluten-free changed everything. Her eyesight started coming back. The brain fog lifted. And that sent her down a rabbit hole that would change the trajectory of her life.
The Moment That Changed Everything — A General Mills Scientist Pulls Her Aside
At a medical conference, a researcher mentioned that gluten-sensitive people didn't show the same inflammatory markers when the gluten was sterilized — meaning something else on the grain was triggering the reaction. Kelly raised her hand from the audience:
"Do they spray Roundup on the grains? I feel like I've seen something like that — the weed killer Roundup. And no one knew. There was murmuring, thinking I'm crazy. I was actually really embarrassed and I sat down because I was like, oh, I think I just made that up."
Then a scientist from General Mills pulled her aside.
"He said, 'Hey, actually, yeah, the farmers do spray Roundup on the grains. And we know there's a problem.' And I said, well, that seems like there might be something to this epidemic of gluten intolerance. And he said, 'It's going to take two decades to change their farming practices.'"
That moment sent her to the Monsanto cancer trials in San Francisco — where she walked right into the courtroom because nobody else showed up to protest. She blogged every single day of the trial, exposing what was coming out in the courtroom about EPA corruption. The Glyphosate Girl was born.
🎙 Hear Kelly tell her full story on LIFELONG
What Is Glyphosate — And Why Does the Pre-Harvest Spray Matter Most?
Most people think glyphosate is only a concern for produce. Kelly explained why that's wrong — and why grains are the real issue. In our second conversation she put it plainly:
"It's estimated that 80 percent of our dietary exposure comes from this process of pre-harvest desiccation — just facilitating an easier harvest by spraying and drying everything out."
This is why organic oats, wheat, and legumes matter so much — and why "Non-GMO" isn't enough. Kelly was clear on this in our first conversation: Non-GMO labeling only addresses genetic modification, not pesticide use. Roundup Ready crops are sprayed with glyphosate specifically because they're engineered to survive it — Non-GMO does not mean glyphosate-free, and it is not a substitute for certified organic.
In our second conversation, she added an important warning about what she calls the "pesticide treadmill":
"People know about glyphosate, so they're saying no glyphosate on my food. But then they're adding other things that you don't know to ask about yet — and some of them are actually, you could argue, even more toxic."
The chemical she flagged specifically was chlormequat chloride, which has been detected in popular oat-based cereals: "It has absolutely no business being on our food. It has all kinds of toxic endocrine-disrupting effects, like infertility, very directly."
This is exactly why certified organic or Glyphosate Residue Free (GRF) certified products are the gold standard — and why staying informed matters. Two swaps I make for my own family: One Degree Organic Sprouted Oats and Lovebird Organic Cereal — both certified organic and among the cleanest options available.
What Glyphosate Does to Your Body
Kelly didn't pull any punches on the science. In our first conversation, she explained that glyphosate works by disrupting the shikimate pathway — a metabolic process used by beneficial gut bacteria. When you consume glyphosate, studies show it selectively kills the good bacteria in your microbiome while leaving pathogenic bacteria largely unaffected. The result is exactly the kind of dysbiosis — imbalanced gut flora — that underlies so many of the chronic health issues epidemic today.
This is why supporting your gut microbiome while reducing glyphosate exposure is so important. I use and recommend MegaFlora Probiotic — it's tested free from gluten, dairy, and soy, and is Certified Glyphosate Residue Free, which matters enormously given everything Kelly shared about what glyphosate does to beneficial gut bacteria.
And then she said something that made my jaw drop:
"I sent three sperm samples out to a lab just to check for the glyphosate content. All three came back positive. And we know from research that glyphosate causes decreased sperm motility and early sperm death. Each time I see a headline about dwindling fertility rates, I'm like — just stop spraying the grain with Roundup."
In our second conversation, she went deeper on fertility — and it's one of the most alarming things she shared:
"If you are lucky enough to get pregnant, depending on what your urinary glyphosate level is in your second trimester, the higher it is, they were able to correlate with the distance between the vagina and the anus in the female fetuses — so it would become more masculinized if that glyphosate was higher. And that is so terrifying because that is a full-on end-of-species event. Once we start having this lack of fertility, that is nature saying you no longer deserve to be procreating because this is not an environment where we should bring life."
The Surfactant Nobody Talks About
One of the most eye-opening moments in our first conversation was when Kelly brought up something most people have never heard of — POEA, the surfactant in Roundup:
"In Roundup there's glyphosate, and then there's also a surfactant — the soapy substance that helps get the glyphosate on the leaves and penetrate them. The one used in the United States is called POEA. It is so toxic that Europe won't allow it in their formulations. They make Roundup without this toxin and send it to Europe. But we still get this POEA, which is also sprayed all over our grains. Some argue it's even more toxic than the glyphosate itself."
This is also part of why people often feel better eating wheat in Europe — it's not just the fermentation process (though that matters too), it's the absence of POEA in European Roundup formulations.
The Europe Question — Why You Feel Different Eating Gluten There
I had to ask Kelly about something I'd experienced personally. I was in Italy and ate pasta and bread for the first time in years — and didn't react. Kelly had her own version of this story:
"I had an accidental exposure in Copenhagen. I asked for a gluten-free muffin and it was the best muffin I'd ever had in my entire life. The next morning I went back and asked for the gluten-free muffin and they said — we don't have a gluten-free muffin. I was kind of glad that I was blindly tested because I might have psyched myself out."
She explained that beyond the POEA difference, European bread is often fermented longer — a traditional process that breaks down gluten compounds and makes them more digestible. In the U.S., speed is prioritized over fermentation.
The USDA Head Who Had to Ask Staff If She Could Admit She Eats Organic
In our first conversation, Kelly shared a moment from a documentary she was working on that perfectly captures how captured our regulatory system is. She was interviewing the head of the USDA organic department and trying to get her to acknowledge that Roundup is harmful:
"She wouldn't do it. Her political response was, 'Well, it's just great — people can have choices. If they want organic, they can get it.' And I'm like, well, who would choose not to have clean food if they knew? So I said, do you eat organically? And she had to ask the people who were there — 'Is it okay for me to say yes, I do?'"
What's Happening Right Now in 2026
When Kelly and I first spoke, glyphosate was a topic most people in the mainstream had never heard of. In 2026, it's front-page news.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering Monsanto v. Durnell — a landmark case involving hundreds of thousands of people who claim glyphosate exposure caused their cancer. A ruling is expected by the end of June 2026. The case centers on whether individuals can hold pesticide manufacturers accountable at the state level for failing to warn consumers of health risks.
Kelly was at the "People vs. Poison" protest outside the Supreme Court in April 2026. She met with White House officials in April to advocate for the MAHA movement's position. And in one of the most significant consumer wins of the year, she helped push through a Farm Bill amendment that stripped pesticide liability shield language that would have prevented Americans from suing when harmed by pesticide exposure.
This is someone who has been doing this work for over a decade — long before it was a national news story. I'm proud to have had her on LIFELONG twice.
The Gift in Being Sick — Kelly's Closing Message
Kelly ended our second conversation with something that has stayed with me:
"When you've been sick, it really opens your eyes. There is a gift lying in your sickness, and something is going to emerge out of that. When you finally figure out what makes you feel healthier — and you will, because everyone I've talked to who has been in this chronic disease cycle, when they emerge, they have a whole new beautiful perspective on life. You see how beautiful life is once you feel great. You want to protect it. And so it can really keep your spirits high."
This completely parallels my own story — and if you've been dismissed by doctors, told your symptoms are in your head, or just can't figure out why you feel so unwell — I hope it gives you the same hope it gave me.
🎙 Hear Kelly's full second conversation on LIFELONG
Listen to Both Episodes
The Glyphosate Girl's Debut on LIFELONG Kelly's story, the General Mills moment, how glyphosate works, the Monsanto trials, and the pre-harvest spray explained from the ground up. 🎙 Listen on Spotify
The Return of the Glyphosate Girl The pesticide treadmill, chlormequat chloride in Cheerios, regenerative agriculture explained, certifications to look for, and how to protect your family on a budget. 🎙 Listen on Spotify
HWH-Approved Glyphosate-Free Swaps
| Category | HWH Pick | Why It's Safe | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| OatsHighest Risk | One Degree Organic Sprouted Oats Swap: Quaker, conventional oats | Third-party verified glyphosate-free | Shop |
| Bread & Wheat | Dave's Killer Bread Sprouted Whole Grains Swap: conventional sliced bread | Certified organic — no pre-harvest spray | Shop |
| Pasta | Jovial Organic Einkorn Pasta Swap: conventional wheat pasta | Organic einkorn — ancient grain, lower risk | Shop |
| Breakfast Cereal | Lovebird Organic Cereal Swap: conventional cereal | Certified organic, grain-free, clean ingredients | Shop |
| Crackers | Edward & Sons Organic Brown Rice Snaps Swap: conventional wheat crackers | Zero detectable glyphosate — Moms Across America tested | Shop |
| Chickpeas & LegumesHighest Risk | Jovial Organic Chickpeas Swap: conventional chickpeas, lentils | Certified organic, glyphosate residue free | Shop |
| Water | Clearly Filtered Pitcher Swap: unfiltered tap water | Removes 365+ contaminants including glyphosate | Shop |
What to Look For on Labels — Kelly's Hierarchy
From our second conversation, Kelly laid out the certification hierarchy clearly:
Best: Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) — the gold standard. Both regenerative practices and certified organic. Not many products yet but growing.
Also excellent: Real Organic Project Certified — calls out companies that are technically organic but not genuinely clean (hydroponic, industrial).
Good: Certified Organic — no synthetic pesticides including glyphosate. The baseline minimum worth buying.
Helpful: Glyphosate Residue Free (GRF) — independently tested for glyphosate. Kelly's caveat: "The only downside is it could be the chlormequat chloride situation — glyphosate isn't in there, but something else might be. You just kind of hope that the people who bother to pay for the glyphosate-free label feel the same way we do about other pesticides."
Not enough alone: Non-GMO — does not address pesticide use. As Kelly explained, Non-GMO crops are regularly sprayed with glyphosate — the label addresses genetic modification only, not pesticide use.
Practical Tips for Families — From Kelly's Own Home
In our second conversation, Kelly shared how she navigates this as a mom of teenagers:
"I have teens. They're out there. I can't have them not eat out because their whole social life is kind of around going to the mall. So what I do is make everything in our house organic. If I can get 50% organic into them, that's great. What I try to teach them is what it feels like when you're really healthy — versus that. Setting them up for a lifetime of good decision making."
She also shops Costco for organic in bulk to keep costs down, filters all water at home, and grows her own vegetables — even on a small suburban front lawn. I filter all my water too — I use and recommend Clearly Filtered, which removes 365+ contaminants including glyphosate.
"I took out about half the lawn and now I have a small garden where I grow my veggies in the summer and lettuces and cover crops in the off season. I love it."
Beyond food, reducing your environmental exposure matters too — Kelly specifically mentions kids on schoolyards and dogs absorbing Roundup through their paws. An air purifier helps reduce indoor pesticide load from outdoor air. I use the Austin Air HealthMate Plus — medical-grade filtration with activated carbon that captures both particles and VOCs.
For my full swap guide with exact products and links, read: What Is Glyphosate And Why Should You Avoid It?
FAQ
Who is Kelly Ryerson — The Glyphosate Girl? Kelly Ryerson is a consumer health advocate, co-Executive Director of American Regeneration, and founder of Glyphosate Facts. She holds a BA from Dartmouth, an MBA from Stanford, and completed integrative health coaching training at Duke. She has spent over a decade educating consumers about glyphosate and advocating for pesticide reform. In 2026 she has been featured by NPR, CNBC, Al Jazeera, and The Hill as one of the leading voices in the national glyphosate conversation.
What is the LIFELONG Podcast? LIFELONG is my podcast where I sit down with experts in holistic health, nutrition, non-toxic living, and functional wellness. Kelly joined me for her debut conversation covering her personal story and the glyphosate 101, and returned for a second conversation covering updates, regenerative agriculture, certifications, and practical tips for families.
What is the pre-harvest desiccation spray? Pre-harvest desiccation is the practice of spraying glyphosate directly on grains — wheat, oats, barley, legumes — about two weeks before harvest to dry the crop and make harvesting easier. Kelly estimates this accounts for over 80% of dietary glyphosate exposure. It's why grains are a higher risk than produce, and why organic certification matters so much for grain-based foods.
What is chlormequat chloride? Chlormequat chloride is a plant growth regulator that has been detected in oat-based products including popular cereals. Kelly flagged it as one of the concerning chemicals on the "pesticide treadmill" — where companies remove glyphosate but substitute other chemicals consumers don't yet know to ask about. It has been linked to endocrine disruption and fertility issues.
What is regenerative agriculture? Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach that restores soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem function — moving away from chemical-dependent monoculture. Key practices include cover cropping, no-till or low-till farming, integrated grazing, and avoiding synthetic inputs. Kelly describes it as the long-term answer to the pesticide crisis. Look for Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) on labels.
What is the Supreme Court case about glyphosate?Monsanto v. Durnell is a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court. It centers on whether Bayer — which acquired Monsanto in 2018 — can be shielded from state-level failure-to-warn lawsuits by people who claim glyphosate caused their cancer. A ruling is expected by end of June 2026. Kelly was at the "People vs. Poison" protest outside the Supreme Court in April 2026.
What foods have the highest glyphosate levels? Conventional oats consistently test highest — over 95% of conventional oat-based products contain detectable glyphosate. Conventional wheat, chickpeas, lentils, and other legumes are also high-risk. For a full breakdown and swap guide read my glyphosate post.
Where can I find Kelly Ryerson? Kelly's website is GlyphosateFacts.com and she is on Instagram as @glyphosategirl. Her advocacy organization is AmericanRegeneration.org.
Want to go deeper? Read my full guide: What Is Glyphosate And Why Should You Avoid It? — and browse the Clean Eating & Nutrition category for more practical guidance on reducing your toxic load