{"id":11689,"date":"2013-08-23T00:01:15","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T04:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=11689"},"modified":"2013-08-23T10:50:49","modified_gmt":"2013-08-23T14:50:49","slug":"groups-call-on-usda-to-improve-oversight-of-ge-crops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2013\/08\/groups-call-on-usda-to-improve-oversight-of-ge-crops\/","title":{"rendered":"Groups Call on USDA to Improve Oversight of GE Crops"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/i>, August 23, 2013) Beyond Pesticides, along with upwards of 150 U.S. farm and food businesses and organizations, sent a letter<\/a> to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calling on the department to strengthen their oversight of field trials of experimental, genetically engineered (GE) crops. The letter comes in response to the USDA\u2019s announcement in May 2013, that unapproved GE wheat<\/a> developed by Monsanto was discovered in a farmer\u2019s field in eastern Oregon. GE material drifts \u00a0and contaminates non-GE \u00a0 and organic fields, economically crippling these farmers.<\/p>\n

The letter, which was addressed to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, is supported by food and farming organizations calling for tighter regulations and oversight of GE crops, particularly for experimental field trials. \u201cCurrent U.S. policy includes neither mandatory contamination prevention measures nor an adequate system for monitoring the success of containment following trials,\u201d charged the Organic Seed Alliance and the Rural Advancement Foundation International in a recent press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Many of these farmers and members of these groups require this oversight to protect their very livelihoods. \u201cAnnually, we use over 10 million pounds of organic wheat,\u201d said Steve Crider, government and industry liaison for Amy\u2019s Kitchen. \u201cTherefore, the integrity of non-GMO wheat is essential to our continued success as a business. \u201d\u02dcGMO-free\u2019 is what our customers demand and expect, both domestically here in the U.S. and our extensive export program abroad into Asia, the E.U., and the Middle East markets we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

The letter was sent to USDA in late July and as a follow up groups met with Secretary Tom Vilsack last week in Washington D.C. to discuss the concerns laid out in the letter. The groups asked that USDA \u201cfix its rubber-stamp approach to GE crops\u201d and continued that \u201cimprovements in regulations and oversight must start at the field trial stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Courtney Rowe, USDA spokeswoman told Reuters <\/i>that the meeting between Mr. Vilsack and the groups was productive. \u201cWe are currently carefully reviewing the concerns and information shared with us and will be responding in full in the near future,\u201d Ms. Rowe said.<\/p>\n

Groups await USDA\u2019s response to their requests which include the following:<\/p>\n