U.S. Agency Violated Law in (genetically engineered) Seed Case, Judge Rules

[Doondoo]

A federal judge ruled yesterday that the Agriculture Department violated the law by failing to adequately assess possible environmental impacts before approving Monsanto’s genetically engineered alfalfa.

Judge Charles R. Breyer of Federal District Court in San Francisco said the agency had been “cavalier” in deciding that a full environmental impact statement was not needed because the potential environmental and economic effects of the crop were not significant.

.......

Judge Breyer, in his 20-page opinion, said that the agency had not adequately considered the possibility that the gene could be transferred by pollen to organic or conventional alfalfa, hurting sales of organic farmers or exports to countries like Japan that did not want the genetically engineered variety.

“An action which potentially eliminates or at least greatly reduces the availability of a particular plant — here, nonengineered alfalfa — has a significant effect on the human environment,” he wrote.

The judge also said that the Agriculture Department had too easily dismissed the possibility that planting Roundup-resistant alfalfa would lead to wider use of Roundup, which in turn would contribute to the development of weeds resistant to the popular herbicide. That is particularly a risk, he said, because many other crops like soybeans and corn are also resistant to Roundup, which is known generically as glyphosate.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/business/14crop.html?ref=science

[Vidar]

1. Good for the judge.

[Tanuki]

2. Great news, but

I would also be extremely interested in Monsanto's lobbying history (I can probably guess!)as well as who it was within the Dept. of Agriculture who made the decisions in the first place. If they were Bush-appointed hacks, that certainly deserves mention in the news story.

[Robbien]

3. It appears the ruling may have no effect on how Monsanto will do business

yesterday’s decision could set a precedent that would require the Agriculture Department to do full impact statements for other biotech crops before they are approved

the decision by itself could block commercial sales of genetically engineered alfalfa seeds but that the plaintiffs would ask for an injunction to make sure

Just a bunch of coulda woulda shouldas. No definate sanctions.

I hope something concrete comes out of the meeting later this month.

[Javaman]

4. This is all bullshit anyway.

patenting any living thing is unconstitutional. Period.

Thanks to ray-gun, he let his buddies have the first patent. Carter (a former farmer), when he was presented with the bill said no, it's unconstitutional.

So monsanto gets a slap on the wrist and goes on it's merry way making more frankenfoods.

Weeeeee...

I'm so tired of living in an alternative universe.