Call for Comments by February 16

added 02/08/10

Genetically engineered foods give you the heebie jeebies? Or is it much ado about nothing? Whatever you think, GE alfalfa is making the news these days, and you have the opportunity to voice your opinion.

Now through February 16, consumers can share what they think about GE alfalfa directly through the USDA website.

Genetically Engineered Alfalfa

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a draft of its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on genetically engineered “Roundup Ready” alfalfa—and now is the time for consumers to speak up if they don’t want the product approved for commercial use.

So What’s the Big Deal?

You may not think about alfalfa much when you’re drinking organic milk or shopping for organic at your local grocer, but organic alfalfa is important to organic farming as a nourishing animal feed that’s also a nitrogen-fixing soil enhancer. Once GE alfalfa is introduced, its contamination of non-GE plants—including organic—is all but inevitable. And because alfalfa is fed to dairy cows and other livestock that graze on organic farms, contamination puts organic dairy and meat at risk, as well.

What Consumers Can Do

In its EIS, the USDA states, “There is no evidence that consumers care about GE contamination of organic alfalfa.” If you do care, now is your chance to be heard. You can make a difference and right now you have the opportunity to tell the USDA what you think. Comments due by February 16, 2010. How can you take action?

Speak Up

Docket No. APHIS-2007-0044
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238

Learn More

Our thanks to the Co-op’s good friends at Organic Valley for the information above. Want to learn more? Check out the excellent talking point suggestions on the Organic Valley website.

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