Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave its stamp of approval to the unrestricted planting of genetically modified alfalfa. This isn’t alfalfa modified for better taste or more nutrients--it is specifically modified (and patented) by Monsanto to survive the herbicide Roundup.
This means a grower can plant this alfalfa next to an organic farmer, even though there is a very good chance that honeybees will move between the two farms and cross-pollinate the organic alfalfa.
Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack said this decision was made so that farmers would have a right to choose. I don’t see that. How does the organic farmer have a right to choose not to have his or her alfalfa contaminated? It seems to me that this decision was to benefit the Monsanto corporation.
By the way, Roundup is one of the most toxic of herbicides, and it is sold in hardware stores for garden use. Find an alternative.
Large companies with there large supply of money will always control our legislators. Until we end lobby groups, which will never happen. They control our elected officials. They will never change the law that goes against them.
ReplyDeleteThe recent Supreme courts interruption of the Constitution only gives the lobby groups more power.