USDA Won't Impose Restrictions on Biotech Alfalfa Crop .

[Joanne98]

Source: WSJ

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration Thursday abandoned a proposal to restrict planting of genetically engineered alfalfa, the latest rule-making proposal shelved as part of the administration's review of "burdensome" regulation.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's decision not to regulate alfalfa genetically modified to survive applications of the Monsanto Co. herbicide Roundup is a victory for the big seed and agri-chemicals company and the American Farm Bureau Federation, which represents farmers, who had opposed the proposed curbs that were proposed about a month ago.

The Obama administration said earlier this month it is reviewing all proposed government regulation to weed out proposals that are overly burdensome to businesses—part of a broader effort to repair relations with employers and industry. The administration has also shelved two proposed workplace-safety rules opposed by business.

The USDA is expected to decide next week whether or not to issue a new approval for genetically modified sugar beets in time for planting this year.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703399204576108601430251740.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Oh that's what the voters want. The voters went to the polls demanding that Monsanto be able to plant frankenfoods all over the country!

Sarcasm

[Joanne98]

1. OTA Deeply Disappointed with Failure to Protect Farmer and Consumer Choice

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to allow commercial planting of Forage Genetics International's (FGI) Glyphosate-Tolerant Alfalfa genetically engineered to tolerate St. Louis-based Monsanto's Roundup herbicide without any federal requirements to prevent contamination of the rest of alfalfa seed and plantings. The genetically engineered technology is licensed exclusively to the seed maker FGI by Monsanto. The expected impact of this decision is far reaching, particularly to organic farmers.

"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," said Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO of the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

She added, "Preserving market and farmer choice and agricultural diversity are central to USDA's mission and the future of rural American livelihoods. This failure to do so will make it increasingly difficult to meet the growing demand for U.S. organic crops."

The organic sector is a profitable part of a diverse U.S. agricultural economy—a 26.6- billion-dollar-a-year industry that employs tens of thousands around the country, and helps keep at least 14,540 family farms operating in our rural countryside. Except for 2009, the organic industry has experienced double digit growth—often over 20 percent—annually for over a decade.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ota-deeply-disappointed-with-failure-to-protect-farmer-and-consumer-choice-114752159.html

[ananda]

2. What is wrong with these people!!??

GM foods are dangerous, and the obsolescent seeds and modification
for pesticides are bad for humans and the environment.

Scream!

[ixion]

3. Guess they're taking their marching orders from Monsanto

Great for Monsanto, Horrible for the Rest of Us. :(

[Newest Reality]

4. Well, the motto should be:

Monsanto: Just another name for pestilence.
(A Big, Bad Beast Brand)

Coming to a food apocalypse near you, like it or not!

[Mnemosyne]

8. "Food apocalypse", what an apt statement, NR. And it's becoming moreso each day. n/t

[villager]

5. "Corporate change you'll believe in -- or else!"

n/t

[Mnemosyne]

6. Keep spreading those demon seed, MonSatan. Disgusting and frightening news. Watch 'Food, Inc.' n/t

[glinda]

7. He should be challenged again right now on this. This is crap.

[grahamhgreen]

9. K&R, they are killiing the planet.

[peacebird]

10. that SUCKS. There is no protecting organic crops from cross pollination with this crap.

And since industry is fighting against labelling GMO crops the consumer is screwed.

I am VERY VERY disappoiinted in Obama, but have to admit I expected as much when he appointed Vilsack-o-shit.

[Nihil]

26. What you said is exactly correct:

> There is no protecting organic crops from cross pollination with this crap.
> And since industry is fighting against labelling GMO crops the consumer is screwed.

The organic growers are screwed.

The consumers are screwed.

Monsanto and the factory farmers are laughing all the way to the bank.

You haven't a HOPE of getting CHANGE with Obama.

:thumbsdown:

[Pharaoh]

11. Sucks~ Corporate President.

Just like the rest unfortunately.

[trud]

12. U.S. Approves Genetically Modified Alfalfa

Source: New York Times

"Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Thursday that he would authorize the unrestricted commercial cultivation of genetically modified alfalfa...

Organic farmers can lose sales if genetic engineering is detected in their crops, which occurs through cross-pollination from a nearby field or through intermingling of seeds..

The genetically modified crop — developed by Monsanto and Forage Genetics, an alfalfa seed company that is owned by the Land O’Lakes farming and dairy cooperative — contains a gene that makes the plant resistant to the herbicide Roundup. That allows farmers to spray the chemical to kill weeds without hurting the crop.

Critics also said that restricting the growing of alfalfa would undermine Washington’s efforts to persuade other countries to accept genetically modified crops."


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/business/28alfalfa.html

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Besides the damage to organic crops, another effect of genetically modified BT-tolerant corn is killing monarch butterflies, because "their larvae feed solely on milkweed, which a 1999 Cornell University study found is rendered deadly to them when contaminated by pollen from Bt corn."

[Ian David]

13. ...

When do we get genetically modified buckwheat?

[dmosh42]

15. This is part of the 'removing regulations on business', after....

many bags of money were delivered....

[txlibdem]

21. cause and effect ... n/t

[Doctor_J]

18. You beat me to it

:thumbsup:

I personally could live with a genetically modified spanky, if it was delivered by Scarlett Johanssen.

[No Elephants]

22. Cross-pollination, etc, will ensure that "modified" crap is in our entire food chain, even organic.

stuff.


That's why organic farmers tried to fight Monsanto modified seeds in the SCOTUS. Naturally (no pun intended), then Solicitor General Kagan, acting on behalf of the U.S. (really Obama), went in on the side of Monsanto.

Some tried to say, no, she was "only" defending the USDA, which had approved the seeds without a legally-required EPA approval, a distinction without a whit of practical difference. It was to laugh (or sneer, depending upon your POV).

[No Elephants]

23. Yes, but before Obama's announcements about reviewing regulations to make it easier on business.

Pease see Reply 22.

[mattvermont]

14. not to mention the residue

causing Bt toxin in streams and rivers within agricultural systems. Aquatic insect larva are highly susceptible to it.

[indimuse]

16. U.S. Approves POISONING People and Mother Earth! n/t

[sulphurdunn]

17. We spend about $5 billion annually

subsidizing the growing of so much corn we ruin the economies of other countries exporting it and are forced to continually create ever more novel ways of refining it and putting it into just about anything we eat except fresh fruits, seafood and vegetables. We even put into and endless list of non-food items that include pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, gasoline and even batteries.

Doing such things is of itself a good idea. But it's uncanny the way big business can always find a way to turn something potentially good into something actually harmful.

[Doctor_J]

19. When was the last time our government said No to Monsanto

on any subject?

[harun]

20. They never have.

[Javaman]

24. All your carops are belong to us! nt

[NashVegas]

25. And We'll Hear What a Great Job Michelle Is Doing

To get Americans to eat healthy.

[Xithras]

27. The difference between the US and most other civilized nations...

Most Other Nations: To Monsanto, "Prove to us that your food is safe."

The United States: To the people, "Prove to us that it's dangerous."


Under our system, it's legal until it starts killing people. Under their system, you can't sell it unless you can prove that it won't kill anyone.

Who has the better system?

[Nihil]

28. Better still ...

> Under our system, it's legal until it starts killing people.

Under your system, after it starts killing people you have to change the
law so that no-one can prove that their product doesn't kill people in
case it damages the sales of the producers who *are* killing people!

I give you the example of BSE (non-)testing.
:shrug:

[Ignis]

29. Thanks. That's the point so many are missing.

No matter how much we'd like to see a (D) in the White House for another 4 years, kowtowing to Monsanto is a reprehensible gamble with public health.

"Burdensome regulation" my ass.