GMO Alfalfa

This issue is very important for Organic Dairy Farmers.  Please help by writing (click on the link) or calling your congressperson today.

Here is a letter I recieved yesterday.

Dear Rachel,

Once again, the organic industry is under assault. As we alerted you earlier this year, Monsanto is eager to resume the marketing and sale of their Roundup Ready™ alfalfa.


Fortunately, the possibility that Monsanto’s Roundup Ready™ alfalfa may be deregulated by the USDA has caught the attention of two leading members of Congress: Senator Patrick Leahy and Congressman Peter DeFazio. We are joining with our partners at Center for Food Safety in encouraging members of Congress who support regulation of GMO alfalfa to sign their “Dear Colleague” letter, addressed to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, asking him to maintain the ban on GMO alfalfa, protecting farmers, the environment and the organic industry.1

If your legislator has not done so already, they have until the end of this week - 48 hours - to sign this letter and join their colleagues in asking Secretary Tom Vilsack to maintain the ban on Monsanto's genetically-modified (GMO) Roundup Ready™ alfalfa.

This past March we invited you to send in your comments to the USDA asking them to not permit GMO alfalfa to be grown, jeopardizing the organic industry. Your response was overwhelming: in a 48-hour period more than 56,000 Food Democracy Now! members responded telling Secretary Vilsack that you value organics and the livelihood of farmers over corporate profits. We need to do it again.

We have 48 hours: Can you sign a letter to your congressman telling them that you want them to tell Secretary Vilsack to stop the approval of GMO alfalfa?


GMO Alfalfa and Organics

As you may already know, in April of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the deregulation of Monsanto’s GMO alfalfa.2 If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Monsanto, it could spell ruin for the organic industry. While we’re still waiting for a ruling from the Supreme Court, this is no time to be passive. If remarks from Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia are any indication, we need to keep fighting. Justice Scalia's words, regarding contamination of organic alfalfa were: “This isn’t contamination of the New York City water supply…This is not the end of the world.”

It may not be the end of the world, but it could spell the end of the organic dairy industry as well as end the export market of U.S. organic and natural alfalfa.3 Studies have shown, that if approved, contamination of organic alfalfa is certain.4 Once contaminated, the organic dairy sector, the cornerstone of organic agriculture, stands to lose billions of dollars, while thousands of other American farmers will lose a vital market in Europe and Japan where GMO-free alfalfa is widely sought.

Will you please take a moment to sign a letter to your representative asking them to sign this letter to Secretary Vilsack. And if you really want to take part in food democracy today, take another moment to call their office, showing your strong opposition to GMO alfalfa.

Here is the link to sign the letter:

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/cms/sign/sign_dear_colleague_letter/?akid=137.145323.CE1R0M&rd=1&t=9

or if you want to call the office the #  is 1-202-224-3121  Ask for the Agriculture Aid in your senator's office. 

This is essentially the first time that a member of Congress has shown interest in championing an issue related to anti-GMO. This is a crucial moment and it’s vital that we make our voices heard to our representatives and senators. We are counting on you today to sign your name and make the call.

Several senators and representatives have already signed, along with numerous non-profit organizations, businesses and companies to send a clear message to Congress saying "NO" to GMO alfalfa. We need your voice today - please join us. There may never be a better opportunity.

Thank you for participating in food democracy -

Dave, Lisa and The Food Democracy Now! Team

If you'd like to see Food Democracy Now!'s grassroots work continue, please consider donating. Every bit helps, whether it's $5 or $50. We rely on the generosity of folks like you to keep us going. Thanks for all that YOU do!. We appreciate your support!


Sources:

1. "Dear Colleague Letter, Join Bicameral Letter Asking USDA to Maintain Ban on Genetically Engineered Alfalfa", Senator Pat Leahy, Representative Peter DeFazio, The National Organic Coalition.

www.nationalorganiccoalition.org/GMO/May2010CongressLetter.pdf

2. "Alfalfa, from Monsanto's Lab to the Supreme Court" The American Prospect, April 26, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/148?akid=137.145323.CE1R0M&t=15

3. "Roundup Ready alfalfa already impacting organic growers" Organic Seed Alliance website, May 25, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/149?akid=137.145323.CE1R0M&t=18

4. "GE Alfalfa Before the Supreme Court" Organic Seed Alliance website, April 27, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/150?akid=137.145323.CE1R0M&t=20
 
Blessings, Rachel