Fwd: Tell Vilsack to protect organics from Monsanto

[Guest guest]

Begin forwarded message:

Tell Secretary Vilsack to Save Organics Today!

The battle continues in the fight to stop genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa

from approval. For the past several months, Food Democracy Now! and our allies

have fought against allowing GMO alfalfa to be planted in the U.S. In a recent

victory for organic consumers, just two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled

in Monsanto v. Geerston Seed Farms that it was still illegal to sell or plant

GMO alfalfa without USDA approval.1 Already Monsanto is on the offensive, with

their cronies in Congress and agribusiness lobbyists scheming to pressure

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to allow GMO alfalfa to be planted as early

as this fall.2

Experts agree, if GMO alfalfa is planted, the $1.4 billion organic dairy

industry will not survive due to the certain genetic contamination of organic

alfalfa.3 Even the Supreme Court acknowledged that the threat of genetic drift

is real and now the USDA must complete a full environmental review, still

leaving the decision open for deregulation. Now the final decision is in

Vilsack's hands.4 And he needs to hear from you today!

Tell Secretary Vilsack to stand up to corporate agribusiness and protect

organics for future generations. It's time to make the ban on Monsanto's GMO

alfalfa permanent.

Click here to add your name to the petition asking Vilsack to protect organics.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/tell_vilsack_to_save_organics/176?akid=168\

..129664.itBBq_ & t=7

Already more than 200,000 citizens asked Vilsack to make the right decision and

keep GMO alfalfa out of U.S. fields during the comment period in March of this

year5, including more than 56,000 Food Democracy Now! members.6

More recently, thousands of members like you called and petitioned your

congressional leaders to sign a 'Dear Colleague' letter initiated by Senator

Leahy and Representative DeFazio calling on Secretary Vilsack to maintain the

ban. Due to your pressure and that of our allies many legislators are now

becoming aware of the health and environmental concerns of GMO's and the fact

that their constituents care about these issues. Incredibly, 56 members of

Congress signed the letter to Vilsack.7 We need to keep the pressure on.

The stakes could not be higher.

Leading organic farmers and agricultural experts from Fred Kirschenmann to

Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley Family of Farms agree that if the USDA

allows GMO alfalfa to be planted, contamination of organic and non-GMO alfalfa

is “inevitable”. In fact, contamination of organic and conventional alfalfa has

already occurred in some Western states! Since pollen from GMOalfalfa can drift

over 3 miles and studies have shown that honeybees can carry GMO pollen as far

as 6 miles, any deregulation will deny all farmers who currently raise organic

and conventional alfalfa their right to raise non-GMO alfalfa.8

As the 4th most planted crop in America,9 conventional farmers who raise alfalfa

for export to foreign countries that have more common sense rules on GMO

contamination stand to lose nearly $200 million in seed and forage exports

alone.10

While Monsanto and its proponents argue that GMO alfalfa will help farmers, the

truth is it's just the opposite. For more than 200 years America’s dairy farmers

have managed without Monsanto’s Roundup Ready GMO alfalfa and introducing

another genetically engineered crop will destroy the livelihoods of organic

farmers, not to mention the disappearance of the wholesome organic products that

more than 50 million American consumers rely on every year.

Tell Secretary Vilsack to be wise, act prudently and make the ban on Monsanto’s

GMO alfalfa permanent.

Clicking here will add your name to the petition asking Vilsack to protect

organics.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/tell_vilsack_to_save_organics/176?akid=168\

..129664.itBBq_ & t=10

Please act today, the future of the organic industry - the most successful and

profitable sector of agriculture - is at stake!

Thank you for participating in food democracy,

Dave, and the Food Democracy Now! Team

We need your help to keep the pressure on! Please donate to Food Democracy Now

today – whether it’s $10, $25 or

$50.http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/donate/133?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=13

We rely on folks like you to keep us going. Thanks again for your support.

Source:

1. Supreme Court's Ruling on Monsanto's GE Alfalfa: Who Won?, June 21, 2010,

Grist

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/177?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=15

2. Lincoln and Chambliss decry rulings on genetically engineered foods, July 6,

2010, Hillicon Valley

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/179?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=17

3. DeFazio wants rules on genetically engineered alfalfa, July 3, 2010, Natural

Resource Report

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/180?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=19

4. Supreme Court Rule on Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa, June 22, 2010, Food Safety

News

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/181?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=21

5. Join Bicameral Letter Asking USDA to Maintain Ban on Genetically Engineered

Alfalfa, June, 2010, Organic Trade Association

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/183?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=23

6. 48 Hours to Stop Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa, June 10, 2010, Food Consumer

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/184?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=25

7. Led by Leahy and DeFazio, 56 Members of House and Senate Ask USDA to Keep

Rules on Gentically Engineered Alfalfa, June 23, 2010, Website for Congressman

DeFazio

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/185?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=27

8. Organic Valley - GMOs - Say NO to GE Alfalfa, Organic Valley Family of Farms

Website

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/186?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=29

9. Supreme Court to Hear First Genetically Engineered Crop Case, January 15,

2010, The Center for Food Safety, truefoodnetwork.org

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/187?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=31

10. U.S. Lawmakers ask USDA to Deny Biotech Alfalfa, June 23, 2010, Reuters

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/188?akid=168.129664.itBBq_ & t=33

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