PETITION
TELL THE PRESIDENT TO PROTECT ORGANIC
AGAINST ALFALFA GE DEREGULATION

http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-president-obama-to-protect-organic-and-st...


8:35 pm
February 3, 2011


In a move that devastated sustainable foodies everywhere, Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would fully deregulate Monsanto's Roundup Ready, genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa. Barring intervention from President Obama, farmers will likely begin planting the Frankencrop in the next couple months.

The announcement came as quite a shock to many environmentalists. While some organizations like Food & Water Watch and Change.org were pushing the USDA to completely block GE alfalfa, many folks believed that Vilsack would issue a partial deregulation of the crop, a "coexistence" measure that would limit where GE alfalfa could be grown geographically in order to prevent the contamination of organic and non-GE crops. Instead, Vilsack issued a full deregulation, allowing any farmer, anywhere to start planting GE alfalfa.

So what exactly prompted Vilsack to abandon his "coexistence" plan and pull the trigger on full deregulation? Some folks are saying that the pressure came from President Obama himself.

As Grist's Tom Philpott recently wrote, Wall Street Journal ag reporters, Bill Tomson and Scott Kilman, blamed Obama's review of "overly burdensome" business regulations for GE alfalfa's approval. The reporters wrote that "The Obama administration Thursday abandoned a proposal to restrict planting of genetically engineered alfalfa, the latest proposal shelved as part of the administration's review of 'burdensome' regulation."

Sure, the reporters could have been making an assumption, but Food Safety News also reports evidence that the White House was to blame for Vilsack's giving GE alfalfa the green light. "Sources familiar with the negotiations at USDA, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Food Safety News they believe the White House asked Vilsack to drop proposed regulations so the administration would appear more friendly to big business," wrote Helena Bottemiller. If this is true, I've got news for the White House: Believe me, you appear downright welcoming to major agrochemical companies like Monsanto, and have for some time.



http://news.change.org/stories/is-the-white-house-behind-ge-alfalfas-approval


http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1764033



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9:19 am
February 5, 2011

Goyo Rodriguez of JR Organics shows off the fresh and tasty locally grown organic lettuce picked the day before at the Escondido based fifth generation farm that has more than ten farmers' markets in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles County. The thriving CSA has helped, but many more shoppers are needed for this therapeutic quality food. Organic food is under assault with new deregulation of GE alfalfa that opens a pandora's box to
Biotech driving out organic food. We are all called forth now to take a stand with our dollar and voice to Washington.

WHITE HOUSE BEHIND GE ALFALFA DEREGULATION?
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1764037

CONTACT THE WHITE HOUSE
SAY NO TO GMO
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/


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