Subject: Easy Action Step on Urgent GMO concern


From: Susel M. Fagan
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Subject: WE NEED YOUR HELP ON THIS ONE-Quickly

Dear Friends,

We try not to disturb you often, but the USDA and Secretary Vilsack, in collaboration with Monsanto, are about to lift a court-ordered ban on Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) "Roundup Ready" alfalfa.

This GMO would have disastrous effects on US and global agriculture. If you have not done so already, we ask you to submit comments (it will only take 2 minutes!) before the Wednesday, March 3rd deadline.

Genetically engineered alfalfa would be the first perennial GM crop, and would result in a huge increase of toxic RoundUp in the environment. It would expose livestock widely to both genetically engineered genes and pesticide residues. It would especially affect cows and horses--their health, their reproduction, and their byproducts, particularly milk.

Alfalfa pollen is carried far and wide by the wind and bees, so the presence of GM alfalfa in the environment would contaminate organic alfalfa, rendering organic dairy impossible. Consumers who eat alfalfa sprouts would be exposed directly, as well as those who eat meat.

Despite positive trends, this is the most serious GMO threat yet, as it creates the legal precedent at the Supreme Court level, for GMO contamination to be acceptable for any crop, with the support of the USDA (see Background below).

Sorry to alarm you, but it would be extremely helpful if each of you could take action before March 3 by doing one or more of the following:

1. Follow the directions in the True Food Network page pasted below to conveniently call your Senators and Representatives on Monday and Tuesday, and tell them that they should not support the commercialization of GM-alfalfa. This will have a strong impact, as there have not been enough comments to date.

2. Follow this link: [capwiz.com] to the Organic Consumers Association(OCA) where you can send the OCA email letter by clicking take action now. This will take you 2 minutes and can be done on the weekend.

3. Submit comments directly to the USDA at: [www.regulations.gov] . You can write your own comments from the points below and above, or copy and paste the letter found at the OCA link: [capwiz.com] , in the "Take Action Now" section. This will take you 4-5 minutes and can be done on the weekend, and will have a strong impact.

Thank you for taking action on this important issue to help protect yourself, your family, your country and the world.

Warm regards,

Susel and John Fagan