Coalition for Responsible Agriculture

The Coalition's 2005 campaign against GE alfalfa

In 2005, the Coalition of Responsible Agriculture conducted a campaign to restrict plantings of genetically engineered glyphosate-resistant (AKA "RoundUp Ready") alfalfa in Lake County: despite support from Supervisors Robey and Farrington, this modest effort did not succeed.

On February 23, 2007 federal district judge Charles Dreyer confirmed our contention that the potential effects of this dubious product were too dangerous to be let loose in the environment by ruling that the Agriculture Department had violated the law by failing to conduce an adequate assessment of possible environmental impacts. On Tuesday March 13 he implemented that ruling by ordering an immediate halt to sale of this variety of genetically engineered alfalfa seed, and banning any plantings after March 30. Judge Breyer affirmed his preliminary ruling on May 3. saying that that the USDA's 2005 approval of "Roundup Ready" alfalfa was illegal, banning any further plantings of the GE seed until a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is conducted, and requiring Forage Genetics to provide the locations of all existing Roundup Ready alfalfa plots to USDA within 30 days so that growers of organic and conventional alfalfa "can test their own crops to determine if there has been contamination." "This permanent halt to the planting of this risky crop is a great victory for the environment," said Will Rostov, a Senior Attorney for CFS. "Roundup Ready alfalfa poses threats to farmers, to our export markets, and to the environment. We expect the USDA to abide by the law and insure that American farmers are protected from genetic contamination." For details, see the March 14 and May 3 articles in Lake County News.

The Coalition's reasons for objecting to the use of RoundUp Ready alfalfa in Lake County can be seen here.