It is probably with little surprise to most that this announcement comes, but on Friday (I believe that to be the date) the USDA lifted any and all restrictions on the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa. This debate has been stirring for sometime now, since a court placed an injunction the planting of any further GE alfalfa sometime back. It looked as if the USDA might actually be reasonable with the matter and perhaps restrict it in some ways, including potential zoning and requirements for barriers, as were some of the suggested possibility that came up in the various meetings that the USDA held. Apparently though, that was merely lip service to make the folks like me and the number of outraged and affected farmers from previous problems with GMO’s in the past.
Not at all my normal kind of thing for here on Traveller’s Haven Farms, but just imagine… You are a farmer. You are just getting going with your Sunday morning routine and you get a call. The caller says they have some questions for you, but the most important thing is the information they have for you. Information that you have an entire herd of dead cattle out in a pasture. Numbering around two hundred head in fact. What a way to ruin a perfectly good day otherwise. Anyway, this or at least something similar to this, occurred in Wisconsin today. Facts are still sketchy and of course there is still a good deal of speculation, but this is what is know at this point.
Anyone heard about this half billion or so eggs being recalled across the country all because one or possibly two egg farms have allowed some contaminated eggs into the production stream? If this is not yet another reason for locally produced ‘slow’ food I can not imagine what would be. In the words of Earl Pitts, “Wake up America!”
