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USDA's Vilsack Seeks Compromise on Biotech Crops
ATLANTA - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the largest U.S. farm group on Monday that farmers could see less government interference if they find a way for traditional and genetically modified crops to co-exist.
Farm groups and the biotechnology industry are skeptical of Vilsack's "co-existence" proposal. He launched it last month at the same time the Agriculture Department said planting restrictions might accompany deregulation of biotech alfalfa.
Vilsack says the biotech alfalfa, developed by Monsanto Co, is safe. An even-handed compromise among growers would better than repeat litigation over rules for biotech crops, he said. The alfalfa dispute went to the Supreme Court and a U.S. appeals court is hearing a case on biotech sugar seeds.
Most U.S. farmers oppose government intrusion on their property.
"Every farmer ought to be able to do what he or she wants to do on their land, so we are going to continue to have that conversation," Vilsack said at the annual meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). USDA held an alfalfa "stakeholder" session in December.
Seven major farm groups, including AFBF, wrote to the White House last week to object to USDA's path on alfalfa. They said USDA's environmental impact statement showed there was no danger from biotech alfalfa so it is wrong "to use motives other than science to impose conditions on this crop."
USDA is considering two options -- total deregulation or partial deregulation that could include isolation standards from other crops, set geographic restrictions on where the crop is grown, spell out harvest periods and regulate equipment use.
Foes of Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" alfalfa say it could contaminate neighboring fields and cause losses for organic crop and dairy farmers. They say USDA does not give enough thought to preventing adverse consequences, such as development of herbicide resistant "super weeds."
Spurred by near-record prices for grains, cotton and soybeans, U.S. farmers will expand plantings by 3.5 percent this year, said the chairman of a USDA forecasting board. That would mean an increase of nearly 9 million acres from this year and put planting on par with 2008, when futures prices set records.
"We think the price outlook is pretty good for all commodities," said Gerry Bange, chairman of USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. "There is very strong demand out there. It is beginning to push on supply, no doubt about it."
High prices create incentives for larger corn and cotton plantings in particular, said Bange, while soybeans plantings probably will be up a little bit. He did not forecast plantings for each crop.
AFBF economist Bob Young said an increase of 5 million-6 million acres was possible, which would alleviate shrinking U.S. stockpiles. He said the increase planting would include double-cropping in some regions. Bange said idle land also would be brought into production.
Growers planted 88.2 million acres of corn, 77.7 million acres of soybeans, 53.6 million acres of wheat and 11 million acres of cotton last year.
Farmers said they focus on crop prices and farm supply costs in deciding what to plant, rather than forecasts of high food prices. While commodity prices are high, production costs are keeping pace.
"I pay a lot more attention to fuel than I do food," said Billy Donnell, a Tennessee corn, cotton and soybean farmer. "Food prices in the grocery store, no, but what I receive for products, yes," he said.
(Additional reporting by Christopher Doering; editing by Sofina Mirza-Reid)
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12 Comments so far
Show AllVilsack says this is 'safe', however, there is no scientific long-term (50-100 years) or medium-term (20-50 years) studies to conclude that biotech crops are truly safe.
"How wonderful it is that nobody needs wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." -Anne Frank
GMO crops cannot be allowed to pollute the genetic pool -- genetic pollution destroys biologic diversity and risks all future generations -- for the short term profit of a few reckless greedy corporations.
There is no way any GMO pollution should be tolerated by anyone,
And how much Monsanto stock does Vilsack own?
If GMO crops are proven safe, not a problem, let's wait until they are.
Let's ask the bee-keepers to weigh in on the issue.
"Every farmer ought to be able to do what he or she wants to do on their land, like dump nuclear waste on it?" I don't think so...it's a finite resource that will be needed by future generations.
Co-existence is futile. Once GE crops get going, they take over.
Did Vilsack provide the scientific results of the safety testing of artificial alfalfa on those who consume it?
Has the USDA provided such evidence?
Reuters?
Anybody?
How can we possibly tell little Billy to eat all his alfalfa before he goes out to play if his alfalfa may destroy his intestines?
Why does Vilsack, the USDA and Reuters have such contempt for little Billy?
There is no compromise w/GMOs. Especially a perennial crop like alfalfa.
Dear Mr. Vilsack"
A two farm solution? It's not exaclty working for Palestine,is it? Doesn't the big fish eat the little fish? Are you really protecting those non GMO farmers?
How long was the DDT study done before it was approved? That was a disaster too. How many medicines have been recalled because the FDA approved them too soon? OR, the company submitting fudged their tests? Corporate profits and corporate pressure, is that anyway to run a republic?
The GMO people have been suing everyone when the wind blows.Corporations take native crops and then patent them and ruin and impoverish the originating culture. Why should you trust them on evidence that they submitted?
Maybe you haven't noticed that the weather patterns are changing around in the country. Species are moving from their original habitats and moving up in a northerly direction. Nature seems to be moving things around, so maybe this is a bad time for you to be doing the same thing.
I'd hate for this Depression to have a dustbowl too, but fracked water creates fracked landscapes, fracked food and really fracked up people. Do you really know what you're doing? Shouldn't you really think this through?
Great post stardust.
I'm noticing some "super weeds" all around these days.
*****
(From the article:)
"Every farmer ought to be able to do what he or she wants to do on their land, so we are going to continue to have that conversation," Vilsack said at the annual meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
Foes of Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" alfalfa say it could contaminate neighboring fields and cause losses for organic crop and dairy farmers.
*****
I love that quote! I know, he'll claim it was taken out context. Can I grow hemp, Secretary Vilsack?
Anyway, not to worry! In another generation we'll all be "Roundup Ready" humans..., so get out that Lasso... YEE HAW!
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President Obama has taken his team of food and farming leaders directly from the biotech companies and their lobbying, research, and philanthropic arms:
USDA Secretary,FDA Deputy Commissioner for foods,Director for USDA National Food and Agriculture Institution, Agriculture Negotiator for US Trade Department and Head of USAID –ALL with former ties to Monsanto or DuPont.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm-
The Feds are considering "total deregulation". And "Every farmer ought to be able to do what he or she wants to do on their land, so we are going to continue to have that conversation...".
OMG, they have even lost the incentive to be subtle in selling out our future to Monsanto... What's the point of debating this any longer? The eco point of view has been pushed completely aside....
This is a sad moment for society and one that historians will look back one in head-shaking shame for its short-sighted stupidity...
I heard on NPR a few days ago that grapes have more genes than do humans.
Not sure I believe it, but if plants are more complex than animals I would not be surprised.
All those suburban people who kill their lawn weeds with pesticides might want to start thinking of the dandilion as a food crop.
Also, violets are edible, sometimes. As are very young maple leaves.
As others have posted here, there is no compromise with biotech crops. They will contaminate. One might even say that is the intent.
Crop Warfare.
Don't eat your radish roots. Let them flower and go to pod. Eat the young pods and save some for next year's planting. (One root versus X-pods!) Meanwhile, come to think on it, I can't recall the last time Midwest Chinese carryout included beansprouts (which can be grown at home quite easily if you care to).
We are being poisoned by Policy. When Rachel Carson was writing, it was chemistry. Now it is genes. And genomes.
OTOH, I also heard on NPR that the total number of bacterial cells, etc. on our skin exceeds our total body cells. I heard months earlier, on NPR, that most intestinal biology is not, per se, human.
I guess we need to co-exist.
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