Lawsuit Against USDA’s Approval of Genetically Engineered Alfalfa

        You may be aware of the USDA’s recent approval of genetically engineered (GE) “Roundup Ready” Alfalfa. According to an article by the Center for Food Safety [see link at bottom of article], 93% of all alfalfa planted by farmers in the US is currently done so without the use of herbicides. With full deregulation, the USDA estimates that up to 23 million more pounds of toxic herbicides will be pushed out into the environment every year!!
        Why be so protective of alfalfa, you may ask? Alfalfa is the key feedstock for the dairy industry. Once you start to allow for genetically modified feed, farmers could potentially lose their organic feed, essentially stripping them of their “organic” label.
        And here’s the kicker…this isn’t the first time that the USDA is trying to introduce GE alfalfa. A federal court denied the USDA’s approval in 2007, stating that the USDA failed to analyze any associated risks with GE alfalfa.
        All hope is not lost though! A group of farmers and consumers groups have filed a lawsuit against the USDA’s approval. The plaintiffs include the Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides, Cornucopia Institute, California Farmers Union, Dakota Resources Council, Geertson Seed Farms, National Family Farm Coalition, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, Sierra Club, Trask Family Seeds and Western Organization of Resource Councils.
        To get a full understanding of this situation, please read the following article - http://truefoodnow.org/2011/03/18/farmers-and-consumer-groups-file-lawsuit-challenging-genetically-engineered-alfalfa-approval/
        To read the plaintiffs complaint, please visit - http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/1-Complaint.pdf