Roundup Ready Alfalfa: Ready for Action
Reactions are pouring in to the USDA’s decision to allow unregulated planting of GE alfalfa. Here’s a small collection of quotes from around the organic community.
“This creates a perplexing situation when the market calls for a supply of crops free of genetic engineering. The organic standards prohibit the use of genetic engineering, and consumers will not tolerate the accidental presence of genetic engineered materials in organic products yet GE crops continue to proliferate unchecked.” — Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO of the Organic Trade Association.
“We’re disappointed with USDA’s decision and we will be back in court representing the interest of farmers, preservation of the environment, and consumer choice.” — Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director for the Center for Food Safety.
From a National Organic Coalition statement: “We appreciate the measures that the Secretary has announced to explore ways to develop the science to protect organic and other non-GE alfalfa farmers from contamination. However, to institute these measures after the GE alfalfa is deregulated defies commonsense. Logically, efforts to develop the science of prevent GMO contamination should precede, not follow, any decision to deregulate GE crops.” — Michael Sligh, founding member of NOC
George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley (from January 25, before today’s decision): “The biotech industry has waged a complete war on the Secretary of Agriculture for following the Supreme Court order [originally banning GE alfalfa] and for the consideration of a co-existence proposal. They used all their influence to have the Secretary’s job challenged. There here have been op-eds in major papers and magazines (“Sack Vilsack,” Forbes), special meetings with the White House, grilling by the Justice Department, endless lobbying, and on Thursday of last week, a Congressional member forum was held where the Secretary was taken to the wood shed and asked repeatedly why he had not approved RR [Roundup Ready] alfalfa sooner.”
Sigh… now what???
Lots of litigation. That’s the only avenue left. And for a lawsuit to be effective, it’s probably going to have to be a farmer whose crops have been actually contaminated, since the USDA has stopped listening to their own public commenting system.
If we only could get the tea party behind organic, we would be home free..
They seem to be the strongest and most organized influence in what goes on in this country anymore.. Most of us who place a high importance for organics in my opinion are not the kind of people who want to make a lot of noise..Not like we did in the 60′s.
Tea party darling Ron Paul is a very staunch organic proponent.
But, really, the core of the tea party is corporatist, or, at the very least, anti-regulation. The National Organic Program, with its standards and regulations, is anathema to what the tea party wants.
The term “Non-GMO gives priority to GMOS. The language needs to be changed to “Non-Organic” to give priority back to Nature where it belongs.
Gina, excellent point about the wording — when you negate “GMO” it gives power to GMO as (it unfortunately is) the standard and accepted form of practice.
I’m a bit upset at the reponse from the Organic Consumers’ Association President Ronnie Cummins in all this (http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22449.cfm)
“A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it’s time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto’s controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for “coexistence” with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack. ”
He begins to place Blame on the Coalition of Whole Foods, Organic Valley and Stoneyfield Farms — all companies who were pushing the USDA to adopt at least SOME regulation on GMO Crops.
His statement is really misleading, and in my opinion, very counterproductive.
It is obvious that Monsanto wants control. Alfalfa…come on! Cant they just let the grass grow? I will stop eating meat if it comes to all of the animals eating “NON-Organic” This isn’t even about alfalfa! People need to get LOUD and soon :/
Exactly, Bridget. Why? Why do we even need superweed-making alfalfa?
I asked a dairy farmer who was trash-talking me on Twitter if she’d buy GE alfalfa. She said of course she would and said it proudly, defiantly. I asked why she needed it.
No answer.
They teach in grade school how bad monoculture is for the top soil. Most people choose to be ignorant about this and that is very SAD.
My husband said somebody needs to get “Dexter” on Monsanto’s elite “masters” LOL!
Kind of wish the oil would just run out now so industrial farming goes down the crapper where it belongs. Then we will be left with all this “junkie” soil/land and nobody will be able to afford the junk they make idiots believe it needs.