The USDA approved Monsanto’s genetically engineered alfalfa, and unless President Obama stops it, it will be widely planted this spring and begin contaminating other crops, including organic alfalfa.

President Obama is the last line of defense and has the power to stop this approval.

TAKE ACTION

Contact President Obama:
Phone: (202) 456-1111
Fax: (202) 456-2461
Online: www.whitehouse.gov/contact

MESSAGE: “The USDA’s decision to approve Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Alfalfa is wrong. I am calling to urge President Obama to reject approval of GE alfalfa. I care about the integrity of the food I eat, and I don’t want organic and non-GMO crops to be contaminated by GE alfalfa. Please take immediate action to stop this approval.”

MORE INFORMATION

The GE alfalfa at issue has been engineered to be resistant to Monsanto’s flagship herbicide, Roundup. Alfalfa is the nation’s 4th largest crop, planted on over 21 million acres. Alfalfa hay is used for livestock feed, and alfalfa meal is used as a soil amendment. Alfalfa sprouts constitute an important sector of the salad market, and the crop plays a major role in honey production nationally.

GE alfalfa is the first perennial crop to be genetically engineered, making it even more likely to be widely dispersed through escapee plants as well as bee pollination. Contamination threatens both organic farmers (since the organic standards prohibit GE crops) and conventional farmers (since most overseas governments and alfalfa importers reject GE-contaminated crops).

While conceding for the first time that GE contamination of non-GE crops is a major problem in the US, the USDA still moved ahead with approving commercial plantings of GE alfalfa. The agency continues to overlook the widespread corruption of conventional seed varieties by GE strains (such as occurred with StarLink corn and LibertyLink rice), and the resulting severe economic injury to farmers.

The agency’s decision to deregulate GE alfalfa also places human health at risk from the inevitable increase in the use of both Roundup and even more toxic cocktails of herbicides, whose use has increased due to the proliferation of Roundup-resistant weeds.

The harm cannot be undone! Once released into the environment, GE crops and pollen cannot be recalled. This presents a serious problem for organic and conventional farmers whose livelihood and reputation depends upon the ability to grow non-GE crops. It also raises important concerns for consumers who want to eat foods grown without using GE technology.

Tell President Obama that you want a real choice in the food you eat. The only way to fully protect farmers, consumers and the environment is to reject the proposed approval of GE alfalfa.