As someone who was affected adversely by the food I was eating, and who has been following this issue in the news for a while now, I was saddened to learn that an agency of our government that is supposed to be protecting us against contamination of our food supply is getting ready to deregulate the planting of genetically engineered alphalfa seed. These seeds are engineered to withstand pesticides like Round-up™, which is a poison. How did we ever get to the point where a large corporation’s interests could come before the welfare of the people of America?
The USDA decision favors the interests of the biotech industry, and deals a major blow to both organic farming and the public’s right to choose foods free of GE contamination. How do they know that the resulting food offered for sale will be safe for us to eat? How can they predict that the long-term consequences of consuming genetically altered food won’t be harmful to us all? While the decision only allows for planting of genetically altered alphalfa, which is fed to cows, the plans for genetically altered corn, sugar beets, and soy are already under way.
Those four plants make up a large part of the human diet, either directly by eating corn, sugar and soy products, or indirectly by eating beef. This issue affects us all, not just people who want to eat organically. With deregulation of planting, there will be no way to stop the spread of genetically altered plants, as they cross pollinate with other crops.
Please take the time to read this letter from Maria Rodale, Michael Pollan, and the organic community and learn how to take action. Here is an excerpt from that letter:
“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.”
What is your stance? Please take the time to write your senators and conressmen (& women), to stand up for this issue of utmost importance to us all.To find out how to contact them, here are the links:
Contact your Representative
Write a letter to the USDA
Write a letter to the President
Virginia from That Bald Chick says
I don’t know enough to adopt a position on this, so I will have to read up some more. Thanks for the heads up.
Fab Grandma says
Please take the time to learn about this, and spread the word!
geogypsy says
This is Very Scary. I also feel the need for more research. Thanks for links.
Fab Grandma says
It is very scary indeed. I worry about what those genetically modified foods will do to US.
Penelope says
It make me pretty sick (probably literally too) that we are so unprotected.
People can say that everyone should do their own research, but 1. Who has time? 2. Who even knows to do so? We TRUST that companies aren’t trying to harm us, and make some effort to make sure food is healthy (we are wrong), and 3. Information is often difficult to find.
Most people also can’t afford to have an entirely organic diet and make sure everything is 100% natural, so our government should be required to step in and make sure companies aren’t giving us crap.
Toni Powell says
Against against against GE food. we don’t know what will happen but it is very unlikely to be good.