Farming Organizations and Other Groups sue USDA over approval of GM Alfalfa
In the ten years since the first crop was introduced, biotechnology and genetically modified foods have been at the center of countless bans and protests around the world. Biotechnology has also been the center of many lawsuits, including the latest one in which a coalition of farmers, farm groups, consumers, and environmental activists sued the United States government over its approval of a genetically engineered alfalfa that critics say will spell “havoc for farmers and the environment.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of California, contends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is improperly allowing Monsanto to sell an herbicide-resistant alfalfa seed while failing to analyze the public health, environmental, and economic consequences regarding the releases of the GMO into the market. Monsanto received regulatory clearance to begin selling the biotech alfalfa during the summer of 2005.
The lawsuit also claims that the biotech alfalfa will likely contaminate conventionally grown alfalfa at a fast pace and would hurt the production of organic dairy and beef products, since alfalfa is a key cattle feed. Farmers also could lose export businesses, valued at an estimated $480 million per year according to the filing, because buyers in Japan and South Korea, two major importers of U.S. alfalfa, have indicated they would avoid buying U.S. alfalfa once the genetically engineered variety is released.
The Center for Food Safety, one of the plaintiffs in this lawsuit, called the USDA’s decision to approve the genetically modified alfalfa “arbitrary and capricious.” Joining the Center for Food Safety as plaintiffs in the suit are the Sierra Club, Western Organization of Resource Councils, National Family Farm Coalition, Beyond Pesticides, The Cornucopia Institute, Dakota Resource Council, and two individual alfalfa seed producers.
The plaintiffs are asking the federal court in California to rescind the USDA’s decision regarding the sale of Monsanto’s genetically modified alfalfa until a full environmental review has been completed.
What strikes me as odd about this lawsuit is the lack of facts regarding biotechnology. This lawsuit is based solely on the fear that environmental and organic groups express constantly that food must be kept “natural.” As I stated in a previous blog, people seem to forget is that biotechnology uses what is found in nature (living organisms) to address the needs in this world.
In addition, the lawsuit claims that this biotech alfalfa “will likely” contaminate and that farmers “could” lose their export businesses. Why claim that something “will likely” or “could” happen without being definite in your assertions? In my opinion, there is not enough information on the part of the plaintiffs to justify their claims that this biotech alfalfa will bring problems for farmers and the environment.
While lawsuits over biotechnology and genetically modified foods are certainly going to continue, I hope that all involved in such litigation will remember that in order to make a solid decision, all of the facts need to be considered, including the benefits and advantages of biotechnology as well as any concerns. This will certainly benefit individuals, farmers, consumers, and organizations affected by their decisions around the world.
