A coalition of farmers, consumers and environmental activists on Thursday sued the U.S. government over its approval of a biotech alfalfa that critics say will spell havoc for farmers and the environment. Opening another front in the battle over genetically modified crops, the lawsuit contends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture improperly is allowing Monsanto Co. to sell an herbicide-resistant alfalfa seed while failing to analyze the public health, environmental, and economic consequences of that action.
“The USDA failed to do a full environmental review when they deregulated this genetically engineered alfalfa,” said Will Rastov, an attorney for Center for Food Safety, one of the plaintiffs. “They’re going to wreak untold dangers into the environment.”
The suit asserts that the genetically modified alfalfa will probably contaminate conventionally grown alfalfa at a fast pace, ultimately forcing farmers to pay for Monsanto’s patented gene technology whether they want the technology or not.
The group says biotech alfalfa would also hurt production of organic dairy and beef products as alfalfa is a key cattle feed. And the suit claims farmers could lose export business, valued at an estimated $480 million per year, because buyers in Japan and South Korea, major importers of U.S. alfalfa, have indicated they would avoid buying U.S. alfalfa once the genetically engineered variety is released.
Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the United States, behind corn, soybeans, and wheat.
South Dakota alfalfa farmer Pat Trask, one of the plaintiffs, said Monsanto’s biotech alfalfa would ruin his conventional alfalfa seed business because it was certain his 9,000 acres would be contaminated by the biotech genes.
Monsanto has a policy of filing lawsuits or taking other legal actions against farmers who harvest crops that show the presence of the company’s patented gene technology. It has sued farmers even when they have tried to keep their own fields free from contamination by biotech plants on neighboring farms.
“It’s the desire of Monsanto to pursue global control and total control over the American alfalfa seed industry,” said Trask.
Genetically Modified Plants may have their place, but it would be wise to have tested them and made sure they are safe before unleashing them on American citizens that do not even know they are being attacked. Montano counts on each of us to say and do nothing about this and unless we do they would be right. GMO’s are all over our food chain as we speak, but you just do not know about them. Your fruits and vegetables that have 4 numbers are grown normally. Organic foods have 5 numbers that begin with a 9 and GMO’s have 5 numbers and they begin with an 8. Look the next time you are shopping and stop to think: HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS BEING PLACE IN MY CART AND IN MY CHILDRENS FOOD AT SCHOOL WITHOUT KNOWING IT!
DR. BENZINGER
317-872-2989
