Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

We Stand in Opposition to GE Alfalfa
Maria Rodale - CEO and Chairman of Rodale, Inc. and book author
Posted: February 1, 2011 06:07 PM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/we-stand-united-in-opposi_b_816637.html

Every once in a while an issue comes along that is so shockingly wrong, that 
people seem to spontaneously unite in opposition. This is one of those times. 
I am very honored to post this letter, written by some of the most informed, 
passionate, and good-hearted people I know. Please, do what you can to fight 
against the GMO contamination of our bodies and our environment by demanding 
organic. Thank you. --Maria

We stand united in opposition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
decision to once again allow unlimited, nationwide commercial planting of 
Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa, despite the 
many risks to organic and conventional farmers.

Last spring more than 200,000 people submitted comments to the USDA highly 
critical of the substance and conclusions of its draft EIS on GE Alfalfa. 
Instead of responding to these comments and concerns, including expert 
comments from farmers, scientists, academics, conservationists, and food 
safety and consumer advocates, the USDA has chosen instead to listen to a 
handful of agricultural biotechnology companies.

USDA's decision to allow unlimited, nationwide commercial planting of
Monsanto's GE Roundup Ready alfalfa without any restrictions flies in the 
face of the interests of conventional and organic farmers, preservation of 
the environment, and consumer choice. USDA has become a rogue agency in its 
regulation of biotech crops and its decision to appease the few companies who 
seek to benefit from this technology comes despite increasing evidence that 
GE alfalfa will threaten the rights of American farmers and consumers, as 
well as damage the environment.

The Center for Food Safety will be suing on this decision.

In the coming months, we will be seeing USDA proposals to allow unrestricted 
plantings of GE sugar beets, and GE corn and soy crops designed to resist 
toxic pesticides, such as 2-4D and Dicamba, highly toxic pesticides that pose 
a serious threat to our health and the environment. To win these critical and 
difficult battles, the entire organic community, and our allies in the 
conventional food and farming community, will have to work together.

Now is the time to unite in action. We need to work together to restore 
sanity to our food system, stop the deregulation of GE crops and join 
together against the forces that are seeking to silence hundreds of thousands 
of Americans.

As we move forward, we are united in opposing genetically engineered 
organisms in food production and believe that pressure to stop the 
proliferation of this contaminating technology must be focused on the White 
House and Congress. The companies responsible for this situation are the 
biotech companies whose GE technology causes genetic drift and environmental 
hazards that are not contained as the deregulation of genetically engineered 
alfalfa goes forward. The organic community stands together with consumer, 
farmer, environmental and business interests to ensure practices that are 
protective of health and the environment.

We urge you to join us today.
Sign up to receive action alerts.
Consider making a donation to the legal effort ahead.
Let the White House know that you do not support the deregulation of GE 
alfalfa.

Sincerely,

Joan Boykin, The Organic Center
Christine Bushway, Organic Trade Association
Jay Feldman, Beyond Pesticides
Michael Funk, United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI)
Elizabeth Henderson, NOFA Interstate Council
Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm
Liana Hoodes, National Organic Coalition
Kristina Hubbard, Organic Seed Alliance
Faye Jones, Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service
Robby Kenner, Robert Kenner Films
Andrew Kimbrell, Center for Food Safety
Russell Libby, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA)
Ed Maltby, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA)
Robyn O'Brien, Allergy Kids
Keith Olcott, Equal Exchange
Michael Pollan, Author
Maria Rodale, Rodale Inc.
Eric Schlosser, Author
Robynn Schrader, National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA)
Corinne Shindelar, INFRA
George Siemon, Organic Valley
Michael Sligh, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI)
Megan Westgate, Non-GMO Project
Maureen Wilmot, Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)
Enid Wonnacott, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT)


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