10/11/06 Opponents guide to GM alfalfa

Farm and Ranch October 11, 2006 WORC, the Western Organization of Resource Councils, has released a new guide for alfalfa producers and consumers on what it says are the environmental, agricultural and economic risks that Roundup Ready alfalfa poses to conventional and organic farmers, ranchers and consumers. Don Nelson is chairman of WORC and a North Dakota alfalfa grower. Nelson: "I guess we put it out just so farmers and ranchers, alfalfa producers would have a guide to what could happen if genetically modified alfalfa is released. We just wanted to get information out there." Nelson says they are asking extension agents and crop advisors not to recommend genetically modified alfalfa to growers until questions about contamination, liability and the spread of glyphosate resistant weeds are answered. WORC along with five other farm and consumer groups and two alfalfa producers, one from Oregon, sued USDA in February challenging the federal government's approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa. Nelson: "We have a hearing date set for January 17, 2007 for the oral arguments and we just have to wait for that date and see what happens. We are hoping for a decision sometime early to mid next year." WORC's free guide is available on the web at www.worc.org or by calling 406-252-9672. Among the states the Western Organization of Resource Councils has members in are Idaho and Oregon. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.