Fresh Produce Safety Farmer Listening Session
Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:30 pm
Agriculture Building Auditorium in Pittsboro, NC
Please RSVP for this event by calling Jane Tripp at 919-542-8202 just so we can get a headcount for refreshments.
Fruit and vegetable farmers: What do you think about on-farm fruit and vegetable food safety issues? We want to know.
Please join us for a farmer listening session in Pittsboro on Thursday March 11, 2010 at 7:30 pm. The listening session will be hosted by the Chatham County Center of NC Cooperative Extension in the Agriculture Building Auditorium.
For more than a year, food safety legislation has been pending in the U.S. Congress. This past summer, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation (HR 2749) and a bill awaits action in the U.S. Senate (S510).
In addition, the Food & Drug Administration and USDA have announced that they are working together to develop rules and regulations for on-farm production of fruits and vegetables in the area of food safety.
North Carolina Farm Bureau and the NC Fresh Produce Safety Task Force would like to hear what you think. Regulations will be coming. It is our understanding that the intent is to regulate all fruit and vegetable production on the farm. Based on the bills that have passed and been introduced, a number of areas that will be regulated have been identified:
Please join us to talk about potential on-farm food safety regulation and what will and will not work for you. Your comments will be presented to the FDA and USDA now, before regulations are written.
Who should attend? Fruit and vegetable producers. Small producers with production of less than 100 acres are especially welcome. Wholesale growers, retail/farm stand growers, growers with CSAs or who sell at farmers' markets. While we realize this topic may be of interest to non-producers, this meeting is for producers only.
Bring your ideas and we look forward to seeing you March 11 in Pittsboro. * Please RSVP for this event by calling Jane Tripp at 919-542-8202 just so we can get a headcount for refreshments.
Directions to the Agriculture Building in Pittsboro: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/workshopdirections.html
For those of you outside the Triangle, listening sessions are also scheduled in several other counties (details are still being worked out): March 8Stanley County BreakfastUnion County Dinner March 9Watauga County BreakfastLincoln County Lunch March 12Brunswick County Lunch March 16 Gaston/Cleveland/Rutherford Counties timing to be determined March 18Harnett County, Ag Center, Lillington lunch, 12:30 p.m. March 26Duplin County/Wayne County timing to be determined For more information on the specific details of the meetings outside Pittsboro, contact Debbie Hamrick: Debbie HamrickDirector Specialty CropsNC Farm Bureau FederationPO Box 27766Raleigh, NC 27611-7766(919) 334-2977Cell: (919) 302-9538debbie.hamrick@ncfb.org
Showing posts with label USDA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USDA. Show all posts
8/12/2009
USDA Declares Gardening Week
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/08/0371.xml
8/07/2009
USDA to Seek Independent Oversight of Organics
NATIONAL ORGANIC COALITION APPLAUDS USDA'S DECISION TO SEEK INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OF NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM
Action Ensures Consistent Enforcement of Organic Standards WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 6, 2009)
At the urging of the National Organic Coalition and others, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will subject its National Organic Program (NOP) to a stringent audit and continued oversight by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In a July 29 letter addressed to the National Organic Coalition, USDA Deputy Secretary, Kathleen Merrigan underscored the value of scrutinizing the NOP to strengthen the integrity of the program and the USDA organic seal. The NOP is USDA's regulatory body that develops, implements, and administers the USDA organic seal and national standards for organic agricultural products sold in the U.S. It accredits domestic and foreign certifying agents who inspect organic production and handling operations producing organic food sold in the U.S. as compliant with USDA organic standards. NIST's National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) program reviews accreditation programs such as the NOP to assess their ongoing conformity with international standards for management of accreditation program through onsite audit, evaluation of office system, and oversight of record keeping, enforcement, and corrective actions.
"Third-party recognition is important for many of USDA's audit-based programs," Merrigan said in her letter to the National Organic Coalition. "We understand the value of this step as we continue working to strengthen the integrity of the NOP and to build the organic community's trust in the program." Merrigan anticipates that the NIST review will begin October 1, 2009.
"We applaud USDA's willingness to submit its organic program to the rigors of these international norms and believe this will pave the way for continued growth and success of the U.S. organic industry," said Robynn Shrader, a National Organic Coalition founding member and CEO of the National Cooperative Grocers Association. In June, the National Organic Coalition met with Merrigan to discuss the need for greater consistency in the implementation of NOP rules. The coalition proposed that the NOP apply to NIST at the U.S. Department of Commerce for recognition of its accreditation function and to make a commitment to strictly comply with NIST requirements.
"USDA's organic seal is the best guarantee for people who want to eat healthy foods grown without the use of toxic pesticides, GMOs or artificial growth hormones such as rBGH," said Liana Hoodes, National Organic Coalition policy coordinator.
"We anticipate that the potential changes NOP will make to earn NIST recognition will result in greater consistency and integrity in USDA organic standards, greater fairness to organic farmers and handlers, and greater consumer confidence in the USDA organic label."
The National Organic Coalition (www.nationalorganiccoalition.org) is a non-governmental alliance of organizations working to provide a "Washington voice" for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture.In order for the NOP to be recognized by the NIST NVCASE program, National Organic Coalition anticipates NOP will be required to make significant modifications to its accreditation procedures.
"We think the USDA and the entire Obama Administration have sent a clear message that maintaining and improving the integrity of the organic industry is a national priority and that the USDA will continue to build a trusting alliance with the broader organic community as the NOP grows and matures," Hoodes added.
Media contact:Liana HoodesNational Organic CoalitionCell: 914-443-5759www.NationalOrganicCoalition.orgLiana@hvc.rr.com For a pdf of this release, or for a copy of the letter from Deputy Secretary Merrigan, go to www.NationalOrganicCoalition.org
Action Ensures Consistent Enforcement of Organic Standards WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 6, 2009)
At the urging of the National Organic Coalition and others, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will subject its National Organic Program (NOP) to a stringent audit and continued oversight by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In a July 29 letter addressed to the National Organic Coalition, USDA Deputy Secretary, Kathleen Merrigan underscored the value of scrutinizing the NOP to strengthen the integrity of the program and the USDA organic seal. The NOP is USDA's regulatory body that develops, implements, and administers the USDA organic seal and national standards for organic agricultural products sold in the U.S. It accredits domestic and foreign certifying agents who inspect organic production and handling operations producing organic food sold in the U.S. as compliant with USDA organic standards. NIST's National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) program reviews accreditation programs such as the NOP to assess their ongoing conformity with international standards for management of accreditation program through onsite audit, evaluation of office system, and oversight of record keeping, enforcement, and corrective actions.
"Third-party recognition is important for many of USDA's audit-based programs," Merrigan said in her letter to the National Organic Coalition. "We understand the value of this step as we continue working to strengthen the integrity of the NOP and to build the organic community's trust in the program." Merrigan anticipates that the NIST review will begin October 1, 2009.
"We applaud USDA's willingness to submit its organic program to the rigors of these international norms and believe this will pave the way for continued growth and success of the U.S. organic industry," said Robynn Shrader, a National Organic Coalition founding member and CEO of the National Cooperative Grocers Association. In June, the National Organic Coalition met with Merrigan to discuss the need for greater consistency in the implementation of NOP rules. The coalition proposed that the NOP apply to NIST at the U.S. Department of Commerce for recognition of its accreditation function and to make a commitment to strictly comply with NIST requirements.
"USDA's organic seal is the best guarantee for people who want to eat healthy foods grown without the use of toxic pesticides, GMOs or artificial growth hormones such as rBGH," said Liana Hoodes, National Organic Coalition policy coordinator.
"We anticipate that the potential changes NOP will make to earn NIST recognition will result in greater consistency and integrity in USDA organic standards, greater fairness to organic farmers and handlers, and greater consumer confidence in the USDA organic label."
The National Organic Coalition (www.nationalorganiccoalition.org) is a non-governmental alliance of organizations working to provide a "Washington voice" for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture.In order for the NOP to be recognized by the NIST NVCASE program, National Organic Coalition anticipates NOP will be required to make significant modifications to its accreditation procedures.
"We think the USDA and the entire Obama Administration have sent a clear message that maintaining and improving the integrity of the organic industry is a national priority and that the USDA will continue to build a trusting alliance with the broader organic community as the NOP grows and matures," Hoodes added.
Media contact:Liana HoodesNational Organic CoalitionCell: 914-443-5759www.NationalOrganicCoalition.orgLiana@hvc.rr.com For a pdf of this release, or for a copy of the letter from Deputy Secretary Merrigan, go to www.NationalOrganicCoalition.org
5/25/2009
Call for Monatorium on GM FrankenFoods
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/05/25/doctors-call-for-moratorium-on-genetically-engineered-foods/
6/25/2008
Action Alert, Call Your Reps and Senators
ACTION ALERT: Mandatory Requirement for NAIS in School Lunch Program Put in House Agriculture Appropriations Bill. CALL NOW!
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee has included pro-NAIS provisions in the Agriculture Appropriations bill for 2009.
According to the press release, the bill would require USDA to purchase meat products for the School Lunch Program from livestock premises registered with National Animal Identification System beginning in July 2009.
This is a back-door method for mandating NAIS through the power of the purse strings. The bill also provides a total NAIS funding level of $14.5 million or about $4.8 million above 2008.
We must stop these provisions from going any further.
The full House Appropriations Committee will meet about the Agriculture Appropriations bill this Thursday, June 26. Sometime after that, it will go to the full House. We also need to contact our Senators now, to keep them from doing the same thing.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
1) Call or fax your US Representative. You can look up who represents you at www.congress.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll-free at 866-340-9281.
2) Call or fax the members of the House Appropriations Committee who come from your State. The members are listed at: http://appropriations.house.gov/members110th.shtml When you see a member who comes from your state, click on his or her name to get contact information.
3) Call or fax your Senators. You can look up who represents you at www.congress.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll-free at 866-340-9281.
With each person, ask to speak to the staffer who handles appropriations. If you get their voice mail, leave the following message, or something in your own words that makes the same points:
MESSAGE: My name is ____. I am a constituent [or live in your state, if you aren't in their district]. I am calling because the Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee has inserted language requiring the School Lunch Program to only buy meat from farms registered in the National Animal Identification System. I am against NAIS, and I do not want it to be tied to school lunch programs. NAIS, which tracks live animals, will not improve food safety because most food safety problems start at the slaughterhouse and food processing facilities. Funding for NAIS, particularly any mandatory NAIS, needs to be stopped. Please call me back at _____ to let me know where the Congressman/woman stands on this issue.
When you talk to the staffer, be sure to make the same points as in the message, and expand on them with some of the talking points below.
For more information, contact the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance at info@farmandranchfreedom.org or 866-687-6452.
The press release, from Chairwoman DeLauro (D-CT) is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/DeLauroSubMarkup06-19-08.pdf
MORE TALKING POINTS - state your concerns in your own words
* This bill uses the government's power to economically coerce farmers into NAIS. That is not a "voluntary" program.
* This bill throws good money after bad, supporting a program that is not sound economically or scientifically.
* USDA has presented no science to back up its claims that NAIS will address livestock diseases.
* The USDA has never completed a cost/benefit analysis to show that NAIS is worthwhile.
* NAIS will not improve food safety. The massive Hallmark/Westland beef recall this past year was caused by the slaughterhouse employees' failure to follow existing regulations for handling "downer" cows. Mandating NAIS on cattle producers will not make anybody obey the laws we already have.
* NAIS will not help Americans compete in the world market. If it is mandatory, or even adopted by most producers, those who participate will not get premiums for their meat.
* Pouring more money into the program is a waste of precious tax dollars that could be better spent on safety inspections at packing and processing plants, where most food contamination occurs.
* Using the school lunch program to force farmers into NAIS undermines the growing farm-to-school program, which helps children get fresh, local, and sustainably raised foods. Local farmers should not be forced into an unpopular program that has nothing to do with food quality or safety in order to provide food for our children.
* The claim that USDA has achieved 33% of its Premises Registration goal is wrong. USDA computes its percentage of premises registered based on farmers who answer the agriculture census. Hundreds of thousands of additional horse owners, families with a few chickens, suburbanites with a pet pot-bellied pig, and others like them are technically covered by NAIS, but USDA ignores them when it reports its supposed successes to Congress. The vast majority of people who will be impacted by NAIS either oppose it or are still unaware of it!
* NAIS has never been specifically approved by Congress. This massive program, which will impact millions of people, should be addressed through full and open debate, not sneaked in through appropriations.
Our postal address is PMB #106-380
4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20016
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee has included pro-NAIS provisions in the Agriculture Appropriations bill for 2009.
According to the press release, the bill would require USDA to purchase meat products for the School Lunch Program from livestock premises registered with National Animal Identification System beginning in July 2009.
This is a back-door method for mandating NAIS through the power of the purse strings. The bill also provides a total NAIS funding level of $14.5 million or about $4.8 million above 2008.
We must stop these provisions from going any further.
The full House Appropriations Committee will meet about the Agriculture Appropriations bill this Thursday, June 26. Sometime after that, it will go to the full House. We also need to contact our Senators now, to keep them from doing the same thing.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
1) Call or fax your US Representative. You can look up who represents you at www.congress.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll-free at 866-340-9281.
2) Call or fax the members of the House Appropriations Committee who come from your State. The members are listed at: http://appropriations.house.gov/members110th.shtml When you see a member who comes from your state, click on his or her name to get contact information.
3) Call or fax your Senators. You can look up who represents you at www.congress.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or toll-free at 866-340-9281.
With each person, ask to speak to the staffer who handles appropriations. If you get their voice mail, leave the following message, or something in your own words that makes the same points:
MESSAGE: My name is ____. I am a constituent [or live in your state, if you aren't in their district]. I am calling because the Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee has inserted language requiring the School Lunch Program to only buy meat from farms registered in the National Animal Identification System. I am against NAIS, and I do not want it to be tied to school lunch programs. NAIS, which tracks live animals, will not improve food safety because most food safety problems start at the slaughterhouse and food processing facilities. Funding for NAIS, particularly any mandatory NAIS, needs to be stopped. Please call me back at _____ to let me know where the Congressman/woman stands on this issue.
When you talk to the staffer, be sure to make the same points as in the message, and expand on them with some of the talking points below.
For more information, contact the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance at info@farmandranchfreedom.org or 866-687-6452.
The press release, from Chairwoman DeLauro (D-CT) is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/DeLauroSubMarkup06-19-08.pdf
MORE TALKING POINTS - state your concerns in your own words
* This bill uses the government's power to economically coerce farmers into NAIS. That is not a "voluntary" program.
* This bill throws good money after bad, supporting a program that is not sound economically or scientifically.
* USDA has presented no science to back up its claims that NAIS will address livestock diseases.
* The USDA has never completed a cost/benefit analysis to show that NAIS is worthwhile.
* NAIS will not improve food safety. The massive Hallmark/Westland beef recall this past year was caused by the slaughterhouse employees' failure to follow existing regulations for handling "downer" cows. Mandating NAIS on cattle producers will not make anybody obey the laws we already have.
* NAIS will not help Americans compete in the world market. If it is mandatory, or even adopted by most producers, those who participate will not get premiums for their meat.
* Pouring more money into the program is a waste of precious tax dollars that could be better spent on safety inspections at packing and processing plants, where most food contamination occurs.
* Using the school lunch program to force farmers into NAIS undermines the growing farm-to-school program, which helps children get fresh, local, and sustainably raised foods. Local farmers should not be forced into an unpopular program that has nothing to do with food quality or safety in order to provide food for our children.
* The claim that USDA has achieved 33% of its Premises Registration goal is wrong. USDA computes its percentage of premises registered based on farmers who answer the agriculture census. Hundreds of thousands of additional horse owners, families with a few chickens, suburbanites with a pet pot-bellied pig, and others like them are technically covered by NAIS, but USDA ignores them when it reports its supposed successes to Congress. The vast majority of people who will be impacted by NAIS either oppose it or are still unaware of it!
* NAIS has never been specifically approved by Congress. This massive program, which will impact millions of people, should be addressed through full and open debate, not sneaked in through appropriations.
Our postal address is PMB #106-380
4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20016
4/15/2008
Food Costs
Food Costs Rising Fastest in 17 Years
By ELLEN SIMON,
AP
Posted: 2008-04-14 16:10:46
NEW YORK (AP) - Steve Tarpin can bake a graham cracker crust in his sleep, but explaining why the price for his Key lime pies went from $20 to $25 required mastering a thornier topic: global economics.
He recently wrote a letter to his customers and posted it near the cash register listing the factors - dairy prices driven higher by conglomerates buying up milk supplies, heat waves in Europe and California, demand from emerging markets and the weak dollar.
The owner of Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies in Brooklyn said he didn't want customers thinking he was "jacking up prices because I have a unique product."
"I have to justify it," he said.
The U.S. is wrestling with the worst food inflation in 17 years, and analysts expect new data due on Wednesday to show it's getting worse. That's putting the squeeze on poor families and forcing bakeries, bagel shops and delis to explain price increases to their customers.
U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007, compared with an average 2.5 percent annual rise for the last 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And the agency says 2008 could be worse, with a rise of as much as 4.5 percent.
By ELLEN SIMON,
AP
Posted: 2008-04-14 16:10:46
NEW YORK (AP) - Steve Tarpin can bake a graham cracker crust in his sleep, but explaining why the price for his Key lime pies went from $20 to $25 required mastering a thornier topic: global economics.
He recently wrote a letter to his customers and posted it near the cash register listing the factors - dairy prices driven higher by conglomerates buying up milk supplies, heat waves in Europe and California, demand from emerging markets and the weak dollar.
The owner of Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies in Brooklyn said he didn't want customers thinking he was "jacking up prices because I have a unique product."
"I have to justify it," he said.
The U.S. is wrestling with the worst food inflation in 17 years, and analysts expect new data due on Wednesday to show it's getting worse. That's putting the squeeze on poor families and forcing bakeries, bagel shops and delis to explain price increases to their customers.
U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007, compared with an average 2.5 percent annual rise for the last 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And the agency says 2008 could be worse, with a rise of as much as 4.5 percent.
4/19/2007
Monsanto/USDA--Again
Organic Valley: GMO Alfalfa Will Devastate Organic Dairy Industry
Organic Valley Farmers Call for Permanent Injunction of GMO Alfalfa
LA FARGE, Wis., April 17 /PRNewswire/
Organic Valley farmers are joining the Center for Food Safety in a fight against the sale of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) alfalfa seed. Products certified under the USDA Organic seal cannot be genetically modified, and GM alfalfa drift threatens the integrity of certified-organic alfalfa crops, says the organic farmer-owned cooperative.
"Consumers respect and trust what the USDA organic seal represents, which includes no GMOs," said Organic Valley CEO George Siemon. "If the seal no longer represents a GMO-free product, the integrity of the seal will be greatly compromised and consumers may no longer choose organic products. The organic dairy industry is now at approximately $1.4 billion in sales. GM alfalfa drift would severely impact the market for our farmers' products."
The Center for Food Safety recently won a lawsuit filed in northern California finding the USDA illegally approved GM alfalfa without conducting the required Environmental Impact Statement. A judge in the Federal Northern District ordered a preliminary injunction, stopping the sale of GM alfalfa seed. Monsanto and Forage Genetics, developers of the seed, are arguing against a permanent injunction, which is now being sought by the Center for Food Safety.
"The USDA cannot ensure GMO alfalfa can be grown without cross-contaminating other crops, so it should not be allowed and it is not needed. Farmers have been growing alfalfa successfully for a hundred years," continued Siemon.
In the Declaration in Support of a Permanent Injunction against the sales of GMO Alfalfa, Siemon is explicit about the problem. The 975 dairy and livestock farmers of Organic Valley "feed their animals an all-organic diet that is on average 60 percent alfalfa. Each cow eats approximately 32.5 pounds of certified organic alfalfa a day."
Siemon goes on to say, "Contamination of organic alfalfa stands or seed stock will devastate the organic farmers who market milk."
"Alfalfa is a perennial with a three-mile pollination radius, so farm buffers won't work," explains Fred Kirschenmann, Iowa Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow and a farmer in North Dakota. "It is impossible to contain."
"We still don't know the long term effect of GM crops on the health of animals and people," Kirschenmann adds. "It took us 40 years to find out that CFCs were blowing a hole in the ozone."
Organic feed is already expensive and in short supply, and if organic alfalfa becomes contaminated by GM alfalfa, it would greatly compound the feed shortage, according to Siemon. Organic dairy farmers in the UnitedStates need approximately 450,000 tons of certified organic alfalfa annually to feed their organic cows.
"If farmers can't source adequate organic feed, they will not be able to produce organic milk," Siemon said.
In addition, if GM Alfalfa is allowed, organic farmers will be forced to test at great expense. Each test can range from $179-$259.
The concern over GM crops and food is fueled by U.S. organic consumers who have expressed skepticism over genetically modified crops, which are banned in Europe. This concern is reflected in a 2006 Hartman Group study,"Organic 2006: Consumer Attitudes & Behavior," which showed one of the primary reasons organic consumers buy organic food is to avoid genetically modified products.
___________________________
Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative: Independent and Farmer-Owned Organic Valley Family of Farms is America's largest and oldest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation's leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents 975 farmers in 27 states and one Canadian province and realized a record $334 million in 2006 sales. Focused on its founding mission of keeping family farmers farming, the cooperative produces 200 organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice. Its sister brand, Organic Prairie( http://www.organicprairie.com ) producues organic pork, beef, chicken and turkey.
Organic Valley Farmers Call for Permanent Injunction of GMO Alfalfa
LA FARGE, Wis., April 17 /PRNewswire/
Organic Valley farmers are joining the Center for Food Safety in a fight against the sale of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) alfalfa seed. Products certified under the USDA Organic seal cannot be genetically modified, and GM alfalfa drift threatens the integrity of certified-organic alfalfa crops, says the organic farmer-owned cooperative.
"Consumers respect and trust what the USDA organic seal represents, which includes no GMOs," said Organic Valley CEO George Siemon. "If the seal no longer represents a GMO-free product, the integrity of the seal will be greatly compromised and consumers may no longer choose organic products. The organic dairy industry is now at approximately $1.4 billion in sales. GM alfalfa drift would severely impact the market for our farmers' products."
The Center for Food Safety recently won a lawsuit filed in northern California finding the USDA illegally approved GM alfalfa without conducting the required Environmental Impact Statement. A judge in the Federal Northern District ordered a preliminary injunction, stopping the sale of GM alfalfa seed. Monsanto and Forage Genetics, developers of the seed, are arguing against a permanent injunction, which is now being sought by the Center for Food Safety.
"The USDA cannot ensure GMO alfalfa can be grown without cross-contaminating other crops, so it should not be allowed and it is not needed. Farmers have been growing alfalfa successfully for a hundred years," continued Siemon.
In the Declaration in Support of a Permanent Injunction against the sales of GMO Alfalfa, Siemon is explicit about the problem. The 975 dairy and livestock farmers of Organic Valley "feed their animals an all-organic diet that is on average 60 percent alfalfa. Each cow eats approximately 32.5 pounds of certified organic alfalfa a day."
Siemon goes on to say, "Contamination of organic alfalfa stands or seed stock will devastate the organic farmers who market milk."
"Alfalfa is a perennial with a three-mile pollination radius, so farm buffers won't work," explains Fred Kirschenmann, Iowa Leopold Center Distinguished Fellow and a farmer in North Dakota. "It is impossible to contain."
"We still don't know the long term effect of GM crops on the health of animals and people," Kirschenmann adds. "It took us 40 years to find out that CFCs were blowing a hole in the ozone."
Organic feed is already expensive and in short supply, and if organic alfalfa becomes contaminated by GM alfalfa, it would greatly compound the feed shortage, according to Siemon. Organic dairy farmers in the UnitedStates need approximately 450,000 tons of certified organic alfalfa annually to feed their organic cows.
"If farmers can't source adequate organic feed, they will not be able to produce organic milk," Siemon said.
In addition, if GM Alfalfa is allowed, organic farmers will be forced to test at great expense. Each test can range from $179-$259.
The concern over GM crops and food is fueled by U.S. organic consumers who have expressed skepticism over genetically modified crops, which are banned in Europe. This concern is reflected in a 2006 Hartman Group study,"Organic 2006: Consumer Attitudes & Behavior," which showed one of the primary reasons organic consumers buy organic food is to avoid genetically modified products.
___________________________
Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative: Independent and Farmer-Owned Organic Valley Family of Farms is America's largest and oldest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation's leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents 975 farmers in 27 states and one Canadian province and realized a record $334 million in 2006 sales. Focused on its founding mission of keeping family farmers farming, the cooperative produces 200 organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice. Its sister brand, Organic Prairie( http://www.organicprairie.com ) producues organic pork, beef, chicken and turkey.
3/15/2007
Court Halt on GMO Alfalfa
Court Halt on GMO Alfalfa Shows USDA Failure
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031507O.shtml
A court decision overturning US government approval for a Monsanto biotech alfalfa
underscores complaints made for years that the USDA is failing to adequately oversee genetically-altered crops. US District Court Judge Charles Breyer of the NorthernDistrict of California immediately halted seed sales and ordered that any planting must cease after March 30 following his determination that the USDA violated the law in allowing unrestricted commercial planting of the crop. The judge said theUSDA should have prepared an environmental impact statement before deregulating the Roundup Ready alfalfa.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031507O.shtml
A court decision overturning US government approval for a Monsanto biotech alfalfa
underscores complaints made for years that the USDA is failing to adequately oversee genetically-altered crops. US District Court Judge Charles Breyer of the NorthernDistrict of California immediately halted seed sales and ordered that any planting must cease after March 30 following his determination that the USDA violated the law in allowing unrestricted commercial planting of the crop. The judge said theUSDA should have prepared an environmental impact statement before deregulating the Roundup Ready alfalfa.
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