Monsanto investigated in new case of suspected GM crop contamination

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

Monsanto investigated in new case of suspected GM crop contamination

Farmer in Washington state reports alfalfa shipments rejected after testing positive for genetic modification

Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent
theguardian.com, Thursday 12 September 2013 16.15 EDT

Authorities were investigating a new suspected case of crop contamination on Thursday – the second in the Pacific north-west in five months – after samples of hay tested positive for genetically modified traits.

The investigation was ordered after a farmer in Washington state reported that his alfalfa shipments had been rejected for export after testing positive for genetic modification. Results were expected as early as Friday.

If confirmed, it would be the second known case of GM contamination in a major American crop since May, when university scientists confirmed the presence of a banned GM wheat growing in a farmer's field in Oregon.

The suspected outbreak comes in the run-up to a ballot measure in Washington state that would require mandatory labelling of all GM foods.

Alfalfa is America's fourth largest crop, behind corn, wheat and soybeans, and the main feedstock for the dairy industry. A confirmed case of contamination could hurt the organic dairy industry, which is now worth $26bn a year, forcing farmers to find new sources of GM-free feed. It could also hurt a growing export industry. Alfalfa is increasingly sold for export but buyers, such as Japan, do not want GM products.


Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/12/gm-crop-contamination-alfalfa-monsanto

[truedelphi]

1. Monsanto's Gm alfalfa is an abomination. And no one is to

Blame for this more than the President.

A few summers back, Mr Obama marched 10 staff folks from the Oval Office over to Vilsack's office at Dept of Agriculture. The reason he got his staffers involved? It looked like Valsick was going to agree with activists and insist on having a buffer zone between the GM alfalfa crops and the conventional and org alfalfa. Obama swings from puppet strings tied directly to the GM Empire.

[Nihil]

8. And some people thought that there would be "change" ...

Still the same Reagan Empire under the control of corporations.

This time it's GM producers, another it is factory-farming, another it is fossil fuel
extractors/shippers/consumers, another it is weapons manufacturers, another
it is Wall Street, ...

The only "change" is in the bullshit that the cheerleaders put out to defend it.

[pnwmom]

2. Washington farmers are supporting Initiative 522 because they need accurate labeling.

Most of them are exporting products to countries that require it.

The reporter of the article made at least one error, though. Deeper in the article it says that the alfalfa seeds weren't produced by Monsanto -- without naming what company did sell them.

[BrotherIvan]

3. They KNOW it will take over other crops

And they still approve it. Farmers were screaming to the high heavens that alfalfa was the most dangerous of all because of airborne cross-pollination, but the bought and sold regulators approved it anyway. I truly hope Washington isn't as dumb as California and passes the labeling measure.

Oh, and Fuck Monsato!

[DeSwiss]

4. K&R

[ReRe]

5. K&R

[truedelphi]

6. Plus I have heard that they will bio-engineer the moon!

Last edited Fri Sep 13, 2013, 02:59 PM - Edit history (1)

At least, that is what Moonsanto says...

[Democracyinkind]

7. Ready or not, Monsanto doesn't care...

By the time that contamination will be taken seriously it will be too late.