The public comment period regarding genetically modified "Roundup Ready" alfalfa, courtesy of that lovable corporation Monsanto, ends tomorrow* with Secretary Vilsack speaking before Congress about it. The USDA thinks the American people don't care about eating GMO food. We need to tell Vilsack that that's just plain wrong.
*UPDATE: This link takes you to Food Democracy Now's campaign page. You'll recognize the campaign, it's the one with the NO symbol over GMO. Click on that and proceed from there, because I can't get the other link to work.
Monsanto claims that their mutated alfalfa won't taint conventional or organic alfalfa because of an "isolation barrier" that they self-impose between their freak crops and other fields. However, it's been found that honey bees (the largest alfalfa pollenators) travel far beyond the distance of any isolation barrier, thus rendering such a barrier completely ineffective.
The simple fact is that, for all the talk of strict regulation and isolation of mutant food, true isolation is impossible. Our ecosystem is incredibly complex, and by way of pollenating bees or chemicals leeching into the groundwater table or any number of other subtle means, this decision WILL affect everyone's food supply. It didn't start with GMO alfalfa and it won't end there, either.
Secretary Vilsack goes before Congress tomorrow to discuss the issue. Let him know how you feel about GMO food, Monsanto, and all the facets of this issue that the USDA claims we are not concerned about.
Story here.
Petition here.