Roundup Ready Alfalfa

Now that I have the Internet back I see a group of organizations want to <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/02/21/news/state/20-alfalfa.txt">ban the use and sale of all seeds and hay</a> from Roundup Ready alfalfa. They claim that the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> did not do an EIS as required prior to approving it in 2005. If true, the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> did screw up and a EIS should be done. Should thousands of farmers and ranchers who use this variety be punished for the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym>'s incompetence? I don't think so. That doesn't make sense.<br />n<br />nKnowing that other Roundup Ready crops are approved for use I would imagine that Roundup Ready alfalfa would be approved with an appropriate EIS so provisional approval should be given while an EIS is done. That would be the only common sense solution. Punishing farmers and ranchers wouldn't be right. They haven't done anything wrong. You might argue that using a genetically modified crop is wrong, but in their opinion it was approved by the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> and they had every right to use it. Some people think that using such genetically modified crops is cutting edge farming and shows a commitment to feeding the world. <br />n<br />nAs for my personal opinion on Roundup Ready crops. I don't like to use chemicals. I try to minimize my use of them to the highest degree possible. I would not use Roundup Ready alfalfa because I don't have the equipment to spray chemicals and I don't like dealing with the chemicals. I have an Uncle who was worked with agricultural chemicals for a number of years when he was younger. He now has a number of health problems that we feel are caused by his exposure to these chemicals. I will admit that he did not take proper precautions with the chemicals so in a way it's his own fault, but why take the chance. I don't want to take the chance and I know there are more and more ranchers taking the same tack in my area. I don't care if other people use them though, it's no skin off my nose, just don't expect me to use them. It's not my style,<br />n<br />n<strong>Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer. Dave Barry</strong>