The paper by Charles M. Benbrook examines the trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Since the mid-1990s, significant changes have occurred in the timing and methods of glyphosate application, leading to a dramatic increase in the total volume applied. In the U.S., over 1.6 billion kilograms of glyphosate active ingredient have been applied since 1974, accounting for about 19% of the estimated global use (8.6 billion kilograms). Globally, glyphosate use has increased nearly 15-fold since the introduction of genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops in 1996. Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years. The corresponding share globally is 72%. In 2014, farmers sprayed enough glyphosate to apply approximately 1.0 kg/ha (0.8 pounds/acre) on every hectare of U.S.-cultivated cropland and nearly 0.53 kg/ha (0.47 pounds/acre) on all cropland worldwide. Genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant crops now account for about 56% of global glyphosate use. The paper concludes that glyphosate will likely remain the most widely applied pesticide worldwide for years to come, and there is a growing interest in quantifying its ecological and human health impacts. Accurate, accessible time-series data on glyphosate use will accelerate research progress.The paper by Charles M. Benbrook examines the trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Since the mid-1990s, significant changes have occurred in the timing and methods of glyphosate application, leading to a dramatic increase in the total volume applied. In the U.S., over 1.6 billion kilograms of glyphosate active ingredient have been applied since 1974, accounting for about 19% of the estimated global use (8.6 billion kilograms). Globally, glyphosate use has increased nearly 15-fold since the introduction of genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops in 1996. Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years. The corresponding share globally is 72%. In 2014, farmers sprayed enough glyphosate to apply approximately 1.0 kg/ha (0.8 pounds/acre) on every hectare of U.S.-cultivated cropland and nearly 0.53 kg/ha (0.47 pounds/acre) on all cropland worldwide. Genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant crops now account for about 56% of global glyphosate use. The paper concludes that glyphosate will likely remain the most widely applied pesticide worldwide for years to come, and there is a growing interest in quantifying its ecological and human health impacts. Accurate, accessible time-series data on glyphosate use will accelerate research progress.