Genetically modified alfalfa controversy in review
According to writers Bill Tomson and Scott Kilman from The Wall Street Journal: “The Obama administration Thursday [Jan 27] 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.”
Dr. Mercola in his article If You Eat Organic Food, Have You Just Been Betrayed, responds to Wall Street by saying the alfalfa issue is more important than the government trying to rid the system of “burdensome” regulations. Instead, he notes: “It really is shocking that Monsanto pushed so hard for GMO alfalfa approval and received it, because over 93 percent of the current alfalfa crop is NOT being treated with herbicides, so there’s really no need to make it Round Up resistant.”
Dr. Mercola continued to say, “Contamination would be disastrous for organic dairy- and cattle farmers as federal organic standards forbid them from using GM crops, and organic food manufacturers will reject a food ingredient if found to be contaminated with GM material.”
The Organic Consumers Association soon after revealed that “the USDA had approached members of the organic community and wanted them to stop filing lawsuits against genetically engineered crops and see if they could reach some kind of position on co-existence,” says Ronnie Cummins, one of the founders and the Executive Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA).
Thus began the war on Whole Foods and Organic Valley. Cummins and other writers felt betrayed by the natural food community. As a result, these companies responded with their own comments. But the issue still remains, why did USDA allow nonrestriction for genetically modified alfalfa and what can we expect to see change?
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