Re: Tell Obama We Are United Against Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa

[Guest guest]

I think this is a very important issue! Jan

_Tell President Obama

WE are United! - It's time to stand up to Monsanto!_

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=1)

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=2)

_Don't let Monsanto's GMOs Destroy Organic Dairy

and our democracy!_

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=3)

Tell President Obama to instruct the USDA to immediately ban Monsanto's

GMO alfalfa from being planted and work to ensure that the organic industry

is protected from genetic contamination and loss of profits and stand up for

the basic rights for Americans to know what is in their food and how it's

produced.

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=4)

_Take a stand for Farmer and Citizen Rights - Tell President Obama to

reject Monsanto's GMO alfalfa.

_ (http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=5)

Dear Jan,

Last week the Obama Administration chose to fully deregulate Monsanto’s

Roundup Ready alfalfa, despite overwhelming public protest. In less than 6

days, more than 96,000 Food Democracy Now! members signed a letter asking

President Obama and Secretary Vilsack to reject Monsanto’s genetically

modified alfalfa based on concerns to consumer health, impacts to the

environment

and lack of adequate scientific testing, but they chose to cave to

corporate pressure rather than protect the rights of America’s farmers and

citizens.

Despite this bad news, we’re refusing to back down and are going to

continue to press President Obama and Secretary Vilsack to rescind their unwise

decision that not only restricts farmers' ability to choose what to grow on

their land, but is also entirely unnecessary as currently more than 93% of

alfalfa grown in the U.S. does not use or need chemical herbicides at all,

which is the argument for the necessity of Roundup Ready products in the

first place.

We need our message of unity and the rejection of this unnecessary and

harmful technology to spread far and wide, please sign here:

_http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=7_

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=6)

As has already been widely acknowledged by the U.S. Supreme Court, the

USDA, scientists and active farmers, the planting of GMO Roundup Ready alfalfa

will lead to contamination of conventional and organic crops, creating

significant economic loss for important export markets and organic dairy and

beef farmers.

While we are deeply disappointed in President Obama and Secretary Vilsack’s

decision, we were fortunate enough to be at the 31st Annual Ecological

Farming Conference at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California where pioneering

farmers and leaders in organic and sustainable agriculture gather every

year. When we received word of the announcement there was an immediate and

collective response from the farmers and members inf this community that day

that vowed to fight until this injustice was exposed to the world and

ultimately overruled.

Over the course of the next few days, several dozen farmers and individuals

from organizations working to promote best agricultural practices helped

craft a letter to President Obama and Secretary Vilsack calling on them to

reconsider and reverse their decision.

As members of this movement, we were greatly encouraged by the spirit of

cooperation and the resolve that immediately took place as we worked together

to craft a collective response.

In an effort to help spread that good will and resolve to fight this unjust

decision we experienced this past weekend, we’d like you to join in this

fight to protect the democratic rights of farmers and the citizens who

support them.

If we are to win the fight ahead, we must join together and be united going

forward. It’s time that President Obama and those in Washington learn that

the rights of farmers and American citizens mean more than the unjust

profits of Monsanto, which increasingly put the livelihoods of farmers and the

integrity of our democracy at risk.

Please take a moment to sign this letter inititated by our organic and

sustainable farmers and leaders, then pass it on to friends.

_http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=9_

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=8)

Farmers attending EcoFarm, the largest organic farming conference on the

West Coast, roundly criticized the Obama Administration's ill-conceived

decision. Two California farmers stated:

“We are appalled by this decision,†said pioneering organic farmer Larry

s, President of s Farm-Del Cabo. “This is a sad day for the

future of the sustainable agriculture.â€

“As an organic farmer and an organic dairy processor, the decision to

deregulate genetically engineered alfalfa is devastating for our industry and

it could put our business at risk,†said Albert Straus, President and owner

of Straus Family Creamery.

Condemnation of the bad decision quickly reached beyond the conference as

one attendee heard from a leading voice in the movement, journalist

Pollan, who added:

" It’s hard to understand why the Obama Administration would put the

organic industry at risk for the sake of an unnecessary and soon-to-be obsolete

product like Roundup Ready alfalfa. This is a bad solution to a problem that

doesn’t exist, since 93 percent of alfalfa hay is grown without any

herbicide at all,†confided Pollan.

Finally, EcoFarm President Wittman, an organic farmer himself for

over 25 years concluded what many at the conference felt:

“The ruling by the USDA Secretary disregards the organic farmers, the

dairy industry, and the environment, and I am confident that the decision will

be reversed in court,†said Wittman.

While the USDA's decision to approve Monsanto's GMO alfalfa was a temporary

blow to some at the conference, many vowed to redouble their efforts in

working to defeat the Obama administration's latest assualt on farmers' and

citizens' right to access to safe, healthy, organic and sustainable food.

It's time to present a united front against Monsanto and out of touch

politicians. Please take a moment to join us in telling President Obama to

reverse the approval for Monsanto's GMO alfalfa. Your action today could help

save organic integrity for future generations.

_http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=11_

(http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/337?akid=294.193276.rrkDGE & t=10)

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.

Thanks for participating in food democracy,

Dave, and the Food Democracy Now! Team