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)
Follow Maria Rodale on Twitter: www.twitter.com/farmkitchenblog
Gary Hirshberg: Speaking With One Voice to Stop Monsanto and Biotech
Ronnie Cummins: The Organic Elite Surrenders To Monsanto: What Now?
Kerry Trueman: Let's Ask Marion Nestle: Is Monsanto's Warm & Fuzzy Farmer Campaign Just A Snow Job?
I'm a huge supporter of local food systems and sustainable agriculture. I have gone so far as to can my own tomatoes, grow my own food, buy everything I can at local farmers markets, and lug around smelly compost buckets.
But this GE alfalfa thing bothers me much less than all of you. Why is that?
First, I realize what alfalfa (and all the other crops that are GE now, and used at production scales) is for: animal feed. Mostly, I would assume, for beef. Do you eat beef often? I don't. Therefore, I don't care about GE alfalfa.
Second, it's all about the beef and dairy industry needing cheap inputs, to keep prices low. Do you complain about "Whole Paycheck" or try to maximize your food dollar? Most of us have to, of course. But we all want to eat high on the food chain and we don't want to pay for it.
I understand the serious precedent this is setting - everything will be GE - corn, alfalfa, salmon, what's next? But we've asked for this. It's not just the fault of corporate America. It's all of our fault. We need to own up to that.
I'm more disappointed with myself (and how I consume) than with our government and corporate America. I just wish I hadn't eaten all those hamburgers or dairy products (and bought them at such cheap prices).
If that is the case, how can Monsanto get a patent?
No difference, no invention, no patent.
Big agri business has perverted our legal regulations for their own profit at the risk to all of us.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Millions-Against-Monsanto-by-OrganicConsumersorg/289934516904
It also covers foods that have the least amount of chemical load so if you HAVE to choose not to buy organic, these would be the foods to buy conventional...http://independentviewpoint.com/
http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2011/01/urgent-action-needed-to-support-organics-and-non-ge-crops/
It's easy to see that OTA and the other organizations had prepared a marketing campaign to sell GMO coexistence to OTA membership and consumers.
Food Democracy has garnered more than 90.000 emails in opposition to GMO Alfalfa because they are grassroots consumer group. http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/declaration_of_farmer_and_citizen_rights/
Hopefully Organic leadership will learn from this marketing fiasco and learn to trust ordinary people and not rely on a top down mandates.
I wasn't fooled. I smelled a rat. Never trust a trade association. Entrust consumer associations.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/02/monsantos-roundup-linked-to-over-40-different-plant-diseases-and-endangers-human-health.aspx
The Organic Consumers Association has a VERY interesting take on the GE alfalfa issue, entitled "The Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto: What Now?" Why isnt THAT article posted? Hmmmm?
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22449.cfm
what do you think?
Maybe you can point it out because im apparently not allowed to after many attempts.
"In a cleverly worded, but profoundly misleading email sent to its customers last week, Whole Foods Market, while proclaiming their support for organics and "seed purity," gave the green light to USDA bureaucrats to approve the "conditional deregulation" of Monsanto's genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant alfalfa. Beyond the regulatory euphemism of "conditional deregulation," this means that WFM and their colleagues are willing to go along with the massive planting of a chemical and energy-intensive GE perennial crop, alfalfa; guaranteed to spread its mutant genes and seeds across the nation; guaranteed to contaminate the alfalfa fed to organic animals; guaranteed to lead to massive poisoning of farm workers and destruction of the essential soil food web by the toxic herbicide, Roundup; and guaranteed to produce Roundup-resistant superweeds that will require even more deadly herbicides such as 2,4 D to be sprayed on millions of acres of alfalfa across the U.S."
Or read a direct letter from the President of Stonyfield.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE, dont be suckers. Can't you see it? It all boils down to a capitulation to "trust" of Monsanto and the USDA to enforce voluntary guidelines! They know full well GE alfalfa will NEVER be contained. It's more profitable for it to escape and spread all over the world.
The CEOs are personal friends of Tom Vilsack and donated to his previous campaigns. ..and have you noticed the action they call for places the blame squarely on the Obama administration, deflecting from the USDA, Tom Vilsack, and monsanto?
Its advice from a TRADE ASSOCIATION. Aren't you the LEAST bit suspicious about ulterior motives? Notice the very first thing they do is badmouth the Organic CONSUMER Association. and why not post the op-ed written by the organic consumer association? hmmm?
lest we forget: "The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistencÂe is a must." - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22449.cfm
Perhaps reading more than one opinion on the subject. or even clicking the link provided in within the OCA's article you are posting as a counter-point, especially when taking "quotes" out of context just like Ronnie Cummins did.
Sad? Yes.
Obama that you are outraged over genetically modified alfalfa becoming part of our food supply. He has the power to overturn the USDA decision. The Institute for Responsible Technology, Jeffrey
Smith is educating speakers and leaders to go into the community and spread the word. Please
move into action and sign many petitions also. Demand that GMO's be labeled and speak through your consumer rejection. Walk into your favorite restaurants and educate the ownership. This
will change with every individual we contact.
For the past twelve years, I've also been vocal about the fact we can't get GMO products identified on "nutrition"/ingredient labels.
Of course, now that Monsanto got Clarence Thomas on the supreme court, they're taking control from that avenue as well...not only to endorse the GMO movement but to allow the connected corporate giants to buy elections through the citizens united ruling.
USDA...FDA...(& EPA?)... They seem to get their marching orders from the mega food and drug corporations.
I could write for hours on why GM and GE foods are wrong - cross bred with pesticides using viruses and deadly bacteria to break the genetic codes, no longitudinal studies done, transgenic contamination of our pure food genetic lines, the proven damage it does to humans who consume it, the environmental and ecological damage, the creation of super weeds that are resistant to all pesticides, the consolidation of seed companies and pesticide companies and how it creates more food insecurity... the list goes on. This is ruining our world. Stand Up for Natural Foods!!