Genetically Modified Organisms and Politics in the news....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110204/ap_on_re_us/us_biotech_sugar_beets
Interesting tidbit- "Last summer, a federal judge in California issued an order last summer halting the planting of genetically modified sugar beets until the USDA completed an environmental impact study on how the beets could affect conventional crops. The ruling had a widespread impact since nearly all the nation's sugar beets come from the genetically altered seed, and farmers had worried the USDA wouldn't finish its work in time for spring planting." So the USDA does it anyway??????


Experts: Contamination from GM alfalfa certain- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110207/ap_on_re_us/us_food_and_farm_biotech_alfalfa
Interesting tidbit- "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision late last month to deregulate genetically modified alfalfa was the latest step in a long court fight over its use. A federal court barred its planting in 2007, saying the USDA had not given enough consideration to the effects it could have on the environment and human health. The U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban last year, saying the lower court's decision had gone too far. It kicked the matter back to the USDA.In announcing the agency's decision, Vilsack said steps would be taken to ensure genetically modified alfalfa wouldn't cross-pollinate with organic and unmodified crops. USDA officials declined to answer questions about what those steps would entail, pointing to a document posted on the agency's website."
.......and "Fred Kirschenmann, who manages a farm near Jamestown, N.D., but works at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, said he gave up growing organic canola in the late 1990s after Roundup-resistant canola seeds were introduced. There needed to be two miles between fields to reduce the risk of cross-pollination and "so much Roundup Ready came into the area, there was no way to find a way to put in a field that was at least two miles from a field with the GMO crop," Kirschenmann said."


Closer to home-  Frankenfoods-Will recent USDA approvals of GMOs spread to Boulder County?
http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-4397-frankenfoods.html
"Recent decisions by federal authorities to allow the unregulated planting of genetically modified alfalfa and sugar beets have some fearing that the approvals may take root in Boulder County’s own approach to the genetically engineered crops.

On Jan. 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised environmental activists’ hackles by announcing that it will not regulate alfalfa that has been genetically modified to be resistant to the herbicide Roundup. Both the alfalfa and the pesticide are made by biotech giant Monsanto.
Then, the following week, the USDA announced that it is partially deregulating genetically modified (GM) sugar beets due to a predicted sugar shortage, a decision that seems to fly in the face of an August decision by a federal district court judge in San Francisco to revoke approval of the beets until an environmental impact study could be completed."


And all the while...... US trade chief urges Europe to open market to GM foods

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110210/pl_afp/euustradeenvironmentfoodgm
With the following ideas.... "
A top US trade official said she will bang down the door of the European Commission Thursday in a bid to break a longstanding impasse blocking the march of genetically-modified foods."When Europeans come to the United States, they come and enjoy our cuisine with no concerns whatsoever," Deputy US Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro said ahead of talks with European Union trade commissioner Karel De Gucht's senior officials.

"The best-known GM producer, another US giant Monsanto, is at the forefront of legal moves to open up the European single market, home to half a billion people and 20 million companies."


We need to stand up...........