Weed Killer Found in Breads Sold in USVI

M.A. Dworkin

Lake Worth Beach, Fla - On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other Florida officials shared the results of new independent testing, revealing the presence of glyphosate, a common pesticide used to kill weeds, in several popular bread products, a few of which are sold in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The discovery marks the third round of testing as part of the Healthy Florida First initiative, which aims to improve the lives of Floridians by reducing chronic disease, strengthening nutrition programs, and empowering families with better choices. 

The Florida Department of Health evaluated data based on results from certified third party labs. According to Florida’s First Lady, Casey DeSantis, who led the initiative, bread brands were tested for a wide range of substances, including heavy metals, pesticides and other chemical contaminants to provide a broader picture of what consumers might be exposed to when consuming various grocery store bread products. 

State officials said glyphosate was found in various breads, including Nature’s Own Butter Bread, Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted White Bread, Dave’s Killer Bread White Done Right, Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grain, Wonder Bread’s Classic White, and Sara Lee’s Honey Wheat. 

“Glyphosate is designed to kill plants. It is not meant to be eaten,” the First lady said at the press conference. “The labels on glyphosate-based pesticides clearly warn that the chemicals are harmful and must be kept out of reach of children,” she went on. “In fact, they contain emergency instructions for accidental exposure and make clear these products are not meant for people to touch, not meant for to be in the food and certainly not meant to be consumed. And yet - here we are with these findings.”

In contrast, glyphosate levels were not detected in two other bread products - the Sara Lee Artesano White and the Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White. 

     “So what does that tell us? There is a right way to do it without these chemicals getting into the food supply,” the First lady added. “Consumers deserve to know the truth to make informed decisions.”

Glyphosate was detected in six of the eight bread products tested. 

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said “the evidence overall is just really, really concerning.” He went on to elaborate, “Chronic exposure to glyphosate is linked to harmful gut microbiome changes, liver inflammation, and adverse neurologic effect.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the limits on pesticide chemical residue in food, with current limits ranging from 0.1 to 400 parts per million. It is important to note that all the bread tested had significantly lower levels of glyphosate than the EPA allows.