A letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
from 75 Members of Congress asks that farmers be allowed to
plant Roundup Ready alfalfa (RRA) in the fall 2010 planting
season.
The June 21, 2010, decision by the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a
nationwide ban on the cultivation of biotech alfalfa, but
remanded the case back to the District Court. Depending on the
District Court's decision, USDA can then decide what interim
measures can be implemented while the agency completes its
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The letter points out that the USDA's draft EIS concluded that
there is "no significant impact on the human environment due to
granting non-regulated status to Roundup Ready alfalfa." A
partial deregulation would allow farmers to plant their
inventoried RRA seed this fall while the USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) completes its final
environmental impact study.
Under the leadership of Reps. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Wally
Herger (R-Calif.) and Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), the letter was
signed by 75 Members of Congress including House Ag Committee
Chair Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas
(R-Okla.) along with 25 additional Agriculture Committee
Members.
"We applaud Representatives Jenkins, Herger and Courtney and all
the Members who signed the letter asking that farmers be allowed
to plant biotech alfalfa this fall," said Sharon Bomer Lauritsen,
Executive Vice President for Food and Agriculture at the
Biotechnology Industry organization (BIO). "These leaders want
to protect the rights of farmers who choose to grow Roundup
Ready alfalfa, and who want access to the benefits that
biotechnology can provide."
According to the letter, it has been estimated that farmers have
lost more than $250 million in revenue from not being able to
utilize RRA during the EIS process, and they will face
significant additional losses if they are not allowed to plant
their inventoried seed during the fall 2010 planting season.