Pesticides agency referred to new inquiry

The federal government's pesticide regulator will face a Senate inquiry into its independence amid health concerns over the world's most popular weedkiller.

How the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority assesses glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in RoundUp, is one of the terms of the inquiry.

It comes after Agriculture Minister David Littleproud backed scientific evidence the chemical was safe after recent reports linking it to cancer.