action alert: GMO alfalfa

[Guest guest]

GMO alfalfa threatens organic agriculture and dairy, which we know to be

important to vibrant health of our bodies and of the planet. Please take

action. --

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Take a stand for organics - Tell Secretary Vilsack and President Obama to

reject Monsanto's GMO alfalfa.

Last week we sent an urgent appeal to members of the organic, sustainable

and local food community regarding the pending approval of Monsanto's

genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa - a decision is expected as early as

this week.

Remarkably, more than 60,000 American citizens have signed this letter

calling on Secretary Vilsack and President Obama to reject the approval of

this Roundup Ready crop, which according to many farmers and scientists, is

a completely unnecessary technology since alfalfa, as a perennial crop,

does not face the same weed pressures as annual crops such as corn and

soybeans.

If you have already signed this letter, please forward this letter to 3

people who care about the integrity of organics and you know who will take

action to protect it and ask that they sign it. Please help us reach 75,000

signers by the end of the day!

Since the decision could be made in the next few days, please make a phone

call to a family member or friend to make sure they get a chance to sign

it. And if you haven't signed, please sign here:

<http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/329?akid=286.97504.ChxT_n & t=6>http://acti\

on.fooddemocracynow.org/go/329?akid=286.97504.ChxT_n & t=7

Let Secretary Vilsack and President Obama know that this is a vital issue

for you and your family; to have a guarantee that you have organic food

that is not contaminated by GMOs, which are prohibited under the USDA

organic standards.

As previously mentioned, Secretary Vilsack and the USDA have proposed two

courses of action, either full deregulation of Monsanto's GMO alfalfa or a

plan for the " coexistence " of GMOs alongside organic and non-GMO crops.

Unfortunately, both outcomes will result in genetic contamination of

organic crops and threatens to undermine the ability for organic dairy

farmers and other livestock sectors to find adequate feed for their animals

to maintain organic certification.

Already Monsanto and the biotech industry have bristled at the idea that

the USDA would dare propose any limitations on their ability to plant its

genetically modified seeds anywhere in farmer's fields across the country,

despite the well known and scientific evidence that if allowed to be

planted, GMO alfalfa will certainly contaminated organic and non-organic

crops. Their arrogance is so great they have even called for Secretary

Vilsack to be fired over his coexistence proposal.

At the same time, some in the organic industry, including Whole Foods and

Stonyfield Farms are calling for the adoption of Secretary Vilsack's

coexistence plan. While we appreciate their efforts to guarentee that

organic and conventional farmers whose crops are contaminated receive fair

and just economic compensation, we believe that all American farmers have

the right to not have their fields contaminated and that understanding the

real world of how nature works, compounded by human error, the current

proposal for coexistence is unworkable.

Please join more than 60,000 Americans, family farmers and organic

consumers across the country in telling them that the genetic contamination

and potential loss of the organic dairy sector is not worth the risk. It's

time to stand up to Monsanto and the biotech bullies and place a moratorium

on GMO alfalfa in order to protect the organic dairy industry, organic

consumers and the environment.

<http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/329?akid=286.97504.ChxT_n & t=8>http://acti\

on.fooddemocracynow.org/go/329?akid=286.97504.ChxT_n & t=9

Thanks for taking the time today to stand up for organic farmers and the

integrity of the organic industry. Please forward this email to any family

member or friend that you know cares about the future of our food and the

planet. The decision by the USDA is expected at any moment - please act today.

Thanks for participating in food democracy,

Dave, and the Food Democracy Now! Team

~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~

--A.J. Muste