2-16 IAN Alfalfa Jones

 Vilsack comments on the alfalfa decision. Coexistence talks between GE, organic and other non-GE stakeholders didn’t end with USDA’s decision to allow unlimited, nationwide planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa as soon as this spring.

 Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack credits the dialogue with identifying ways for USDA to preserve farmer choice and says he’s determined to keep the discussion going through the reestablishment of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture. Vilsack emphasizes that biotech advocates should not view the decision to fully deregulate alfalfa as precedent-setting. I turned to a source different than Mr. Vilsack…Idaho’s own Douglas R. Jones, Executive Director,Growers for Biotechnology and ex-Idaho legislator and farmer himself. Here he is: “I would say it was not precedent-setting because it was the logical decision based on the department’s own EIS statement and sound science. Had he made another decision to release alfalfa with some kind of restriction, that would have been a precedent-setting decision.”