Governor announces state export initiative; What next for GMO alfalfa?
Washington Ag Today June 23, 2010 Governor Gregoire announced yesterday a new state export initiative designed to open additional export opportunities for Washington. The plan complements the National Export Initiative announced by President Obama, which seeks to double the nation’s exports by 2015. The governor’s six point plan includes a “Farm-to-Market Initiative” which she says will ask 20 existing state programs to compete for development funds so the most promising investments are made. Gregoire will also lead a trade mission in September to China and Vietnam. So does the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of a lower court ban on the planting of Roundup Ready Alfalfa mean you can go ahead and plant GMO alfalfa seeds? No, says Monsanto the owner of biotech alfalfa. The USDA must still complete an Environmental Impact Statement and USDA Press Secretary Caleb Weaver says that process is ongoing. Weaver: “In light of the Supreme Court‘s decision to invalidate the lower court‘s injunction, USDA is moving forward with the completion of the Environmental Impact Statement on the deregulation of Roundup Ready Alfalfa. And nothing in the Supreme Court‘s decision affects that ongoing process.” Weaver says USDA hopes to have the EIS completed in time for spring planting of alfalfa in 2011. Opponents of Roundup Ready Alfalfa says they can challenge that Environmental Impact Statement as well as a USDA decision to deregulate the crop once that is made. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
