05/07/07 Permanent injunction granted against planting GMO alfalfa

Farm and Ranch May 7, 2007 A Federal judge in California has affirmed a preliminary ruling and granted a permanent injunction against further planting of Monsanto's genetically engineered "Roundup Ready" alfalfa seed until the USDA does a complete environmental impact statement on the crop. Judge Charles Breyer has said planting of GM alfalfa could harm the environment and contaminate conventional alfalfa. Alfalfa seed grower Phillip Geertson of Adrian, Oregon, one of two farmers involved in the lawsuit, was very pleased with the ruling. And if USDA conducts an EIS; Geertson: "I think that when they do the full environmental impact statement, that unless Congress passes a law and says that these genetic engineers can modify a plant and let it loose in the environment and contaminate everything, then they won't allow it ever." Judge Breyer also ordered that the location of all existing Roundup Ready plots be provided to USDA within 30 days and that USDA make those locations public so that growers of organic and conventional alfalfa can test their crops to determine if there has been contamination. That's something Geertson already knows the answer to. Geertson: "I have two fields that they planted Roundup Ready alfalfa near it for seed production and they both are testing positive for the Roundup Ready gene in the conventional alfalfa now." Monsanto, which had petitioned the court to become a party in the case, says it is reviewing its options, including the possibility of an appeal. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.