Happenings on the Ranch

I am happy to post this letter for you all to read, written by some very passionate organic proponents. While I find it interesting that two of the very people who said we should try to co-exist with GE crops have signed this letter (CEOs of both Stonyfield and Organic Valley), I am willing to believe (or hope) their participation in this effort are sincere.  (Notice the CEO of Whole Foods is not in the list of signatures.)  If you would like to help in the effort or receive alerts, there are links below. ~Karin

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)

Well, it’s official.  Just a few days after Whole Foods and several other companies announced they thought we should try to co-exist with GMO (genetically modified organism) planting, the USDA approved the unrestricted planting of GE (genetically engineered) alfalfa created and sold by Monsanto.

Despite comments and arguments from proponents of sustainable, organic agriculture, health organizations and the general public, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and the Obama administration have shown whose side they are really on – and it’s not ours.  No surprise, really, but still frustrating.

The GMO seeds that Monsanto sells are engineered to withstand multiple heavy applications of their herbicide, RoundUp.  The problem is that it’s been proven these applications create superweeds which are resistent to the herbicide.  This causes Monsanto to modify their RoundUp to be stronger to battle these new weeds.  It’s a vicious cycle.  And these seeds are truly genetic freaks … you can never grow your own seed for planting from these crops.  Farmers that use them have to go back each year to Monsanto to get fresh seed for their next crop.  They are Frankenseeds.

The biggest problem for organic growers is the proliferation of these GE seeds.  Reports are continually coming in from organic farmers whose fields have been contaminated with genetically modified organisms.  This happens naturally by the wind, bees and other pollen carrying insects that carry the pollen from one field to another, thereby contaminating the crop.  Sometimes the organic farmer can win a lawsuit against the producer using the GMOs; in most cases, there is no recourse.  And the farmer, in any instance, loses his USDA Organic certification since no GMOs are allowed in organic production.  Even worse, Monsanto has been known to sue wheat producers who have been found to have GMOs on their fields without purchasing them, claiming trade infringment, even though the farmer never wanted the darn things in his soil to begin with.  And Monsanto has won these suits every time.  No doubt the same will now happen with alfalfa farmers.

The biggest problem with GE alfalfa will be for organic dairy and meat producers.  Alfalfa is the largest source of hay for cattle in this country.  We at NV Ranch use ground alfalfa in our winter feed rations for our chickens and hogs as a good source of protein when there is no fresh grass available in the fields.  It is the fourth largest crop grown in the U.S., behind corn, soy and wheat.  Alfalfa is also notorious for it’s widespread proliferation habit.  It has been shown to spread at least up to five miles from it’s original source.  Funny, that was one of the things the USDA was considering in it’s decision about Monsanto’s alfalfa. 

The USDA had said the only options they were considering were to either completely deregulate GE alfalfa, require a five-mile distance between non-GMO and GMO planted fields, or not allow GMOs to be planted in areas where seeds were grown so as to avoid contamination.  The second two options would have been preferable (since the USDA was going to allow some form of planting no matter what) but the USDA went full-force in favor of Big Ag.  GE alfalfa can now be planted with NO restrictions.

This is a matter of life or death now for organic growers.  Organic farmers in general will have to worry even more now about contamination of their crops from neighboring farms.  Organic dairy and meat growers who use alfalfa to feed their animals will now have to carefully source their feed.  There can be no chance of contamination from GMO fields or they will lose their certification.  This is going to make the cost for organic alfalfa soar even higher than they already are (and, believe me, it’s high if you don’t grow it yourself).  In turn, consumers will have to pay much more to get healthy, organically raised dairy, eggs and meat.

Thanks, USDA, Vilsack and Obama.  You’ve officially begun the decline of the organic movement just when it had really taken a foothold with a larger percentage of consumers.  You will now be making it virtually impossible for even a middle-class family to afford to eat a large portion of their diet in a way that is natural, healthy and friendly to the environment.  It’s already been a struggle thus far to eat in a truly organic, natural way.  You’ve just sunk us.  Congratulations, I hope you’re happy.

I have just had it with the mainstream “organic” and “natural” movement.  What started as a grass-roots effort for people to live healthier lives while rejecting the constant pollution of our soil, air and water with chemicals and monster seeds has now, obviously, turned into nothing but a hypocrital money maker.  I will henceforth be boycotting Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farm, Organic Valley, all their sub-companies and any other two-faced, money-hungry, “natural” company I see.

Let me take a step back for a moment.  This rant of mine has been prompted, once again, by Monsanto and their GMO monstrosities.  Organic dairies and farmers have been fighting to keep another in a long line of Roundup Ready seeds out of the market.  This time it’s alfalfa.  Anybody heard of an alfalfa shortage?  Anybody hear any farmers complaining of too many weeds and too little yield from their alfalfa fields?  No?  Me neither.  But the chemical giant decided years ago they wanted to add another seed to their long line of genetically engineered, herbicide resistent, superweed-creating GMOs by producing Roundup Ready alfalfa.

Obviously, organic farmers and dairy producers don’t want this.  We’ve had enough problems of cross contamination of fields from Monsanto planted farms.  For years we’ve been fighting to keep these crops from contaminating organic produce and feed crops.  For a while I thought we had an ally in Whole Foods and some other major organic companies.  I know Whole Foods has plenty of downfalls … why would I buy organic garlic from China or organic tomatoes from Chile when local producers can grow it?  Besides, I rarely by vegetables out of season or that’s been shipped in.  And many of their supposedly “natural” products are produced from GMO crops.  But WF does have a good selection of other non-edible organic goods and by shopping carefully and paying close attention I could get the things I needed and support local (or at least U.S.) farmers while still occasionally treating myself to some off-season organic produce.

I hereby withdraw my support for Whole Foods after seeing they have now surrendered to Monsanto.  Two days before WFs blog post announcing this, the CEO of Organic Valley publically caved in on their website.  Two days before that, the CEO of Stonyfield Organic did the same thing.

They all say it in a roundabout, thinly veiled attempt to make it look like they are fighting against GMOs.  All three companies basically state that the only choices we have are to either allow the complete deregulation of genetically engineered seeds or to find a way to co-exist.  All three companies have decided we should opt to co-exist, as the lesser evil to allowing full deregulation.  Excuse me?  What about a third option of complete and total regulation of GE seeds, research (real research) into the effects of GMO foods, and real punishments for contamination of organic and non-GMO crops?  How about some truth in labeling?  If you’re using GMO crops to create my “all natural” cereal or granola bars, I want to know.  Nope, the organic elite don’t think that’s an option.  Better to lay down with the devil to “co-exist” than to use your significant market power to battle against them instead.

Sorry, guys.  I have a better option.  I’ll continue to grow my own food, buy from local producers whose sources I can verify, eat with the seasons and leave your Frankenstein crops blowing in the tainted wind.  I will no longer support your stores or your products.  I will make my own, find my own or do without.