Controversy follows Roundup Ready alfalfa

Pros, cons of new genetically engineered crop argued in court

Elizabeth Larson
Capital Press Staff Writer

Friday, April 27, 2007

It's been nearly two years since the U.S. Department of Agriculture deregulated Roundup Ready alfalfa, a crop that was both eagerly anticipated by many growers and opposed by farmers and others concerned about genetic engineering.

Developed by Monsanto and Forage Genetics International, the crop is tolerant of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide. Monsanto says the crop offers growers a new technology to improve both their crops and their business.

Yet since the USDA's June 2005 deregulation decision, the story of Roundup Ready alfalfa hasn't lost its controversy.

While the seed has gained widespread acceptance among hay growers in some states - Monsanto spokesman Andrew Burchett reported that the seed was expected to be sold out this year across the country - recent court rulings have taken the seed off the market.

A federal lawsuit against the USDA resulted in an injunction against seed sales and continued planting of the crop.

The suit alleges that the USDA did not complete the necessary environmental impact study before deregulating Roundup Ready alfalfa.

The plaintiffs in the case are Geertson Seed Farms, the Center for Food Safety, Western Organization of Resource Councils, National Family Farm Coalition, Sierra Club, Beyond Pesticides, Cornucopia Institute, Dakota Resource Council and Trask Family Seeds.

On Feb. 13, U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer of the Northern District of California agreed with the plaintiffs that the USDA should have conducted an environmental study prior to deregulation.

Monsanto Executive Vice President Jerry Steiner said that, as part of its regulatory filing for Roundup Ready alfalfa in April 2004, Monsanto provided USDA with an extensive dossier that addresses a variety of environmental, stewardship and management considerations.

Nevertheless, on March 12, Breyer placed an injunction on sales of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed and halted plantings after March 30.

Monsanto was disappointed by the ruling, Burchett said, which the company believes ultimately harms growers.

Assessing the crop

Mick Canevari, a University of California farm advisor for San Joaquin County , has conducted extensive research on Roundup Ready alfalfa. He, along with UC Farm Advisors in Siskiyou, Fresno and Imperial counties, grew the crop in test plots to assess its agronomic values.

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is the No. 1 herbicide in the world, said Canevari, because it controls a broad spectrum of weeds, especially those that trouble alfalfa. From an environmental standpoint, he said, there's a benefit from glyphosate use, because fewer herbicides are needed and it doesn't stay in the soil.

Roundup Ready alfalfa has changed the timing of weed control, said Canevari, and prevents perennial weeds such as nutsedge, dandelion, Bermuda grass and quack grass.

"The bar has been raised for weed control now," he said.

Having less weeds in forage creates higher quality, and translates into more benefits for animals, he said.

One downside is that Roundup Ready alfalfa seed costs nearly twice as much as conventional seed, he said. Despite that fact, the seed is already being widely used throughout the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, and into the intermountain region, said Canevari.

Canevari offered cautions about the crop. While glyphosate is a remarkable herbicide, he said, relying on a single chemistry can lead to problems.

During field tests, Canevari reported that weed resistance began to occur in Roundup Ready alfalfa. Weed shift also occurred, in which weeds tolerant to glyphosate appeared.

"We're making some educated guesses and saying, perhaps within every other year, you should rotate another chemistry in there," he said, adding that the crop shouldn't be used more than three years without rotation.

He said farm advisors like himself are educating the agriculture community about the pluses and minuses of the crop, and about not looking at it as a cure-all.

Roundup Ready alfalfa should be a part of an integrated crop system that involves rotation and conventional systems, said Canevari.

Benefits debated

Phillip Geertson of Geertson Seed Farms, the lead plaintiff in the USDA case, has grown alfalfa for 40 years. His business, based in Treasure Valley , Ore. , sells conventional crop seed.

Geertson, who said he's no radical environmentalist, is concerned about Roundup Ready alfalfa's potential to spread into conventional and feral alfalfa, which he said would make it impossible to grow a conventional crop not contaminated by the Roundup gene.

Many of his customers, he said, would object to the presence of GE alfalfa.

Roundup Ready alfalfa, he said, hasn't been thoroughly tested by the USDA to find out the potential harm it might have for animals and people.

In a recent pamphlet written and distributed by Geertson, he disputed claims that the crop has higher yields than conventional alfalfa.

He also voiced concern about the USDA's approval process, which he said ignored comments and concerns relating to the crop's potential damage to other crops.

It's important, said Geertson, to find out who is making decisions about genetically modified foods and crops. The USDA, he said, needs to enforce its deregulation process and do the proper environmental assessments.

"You've got the coyotes watching the sheep," he said.

He added, "They're just simply going to have to do some very careful research and demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that these things are safe when they're released into the environment and can't be recalled."

An example of how the crop can't be controlled is hard seeds, Geertson said, which can lay in the ground for years before germinating and growing. Issues like that, he said, threaten conventional alfalfa in the long term.

On the other end of the spectrum is Tom Barcellos of Tipton , Calif. , a dairyman who has grown alfalfa for 30 years. He said he began growing Roundup Ready alfalfa in 2005 after enjoying success with Roundup Ready corn.

He's now growing about 160 acres of the alfalfa, which he said doesn't behave any differently from the conventional crop.

Roundup Ready alfalfa doesn't have more cuttings, he said, but overall it offers better production, because less is lost to weeds and bugs.

Barcellos noted a number of benefits, including not having to use expensive chemicals to prepare the ground, and higher protein levels in the hay due to less weed content. His cows seem to like it just fine, he said.

In response to critics of the alfalfa, Barcellos said it's been tested and is helping his business. "We had less bug pressures and less weed competition, so therefore we're using less chemicals to keep the alfalfa clean, so what's wrong with that?"

The Roundup Ready seed is more expensive, he said, but it's saving him in chemicals, labor and fuel costs.

"When it's all said and done, it still pencils out," he said.

Barcello's alfalfa already is planted, so the injunction won't have an immediate effect on his operation.

He said he hopes the issue is resolved by next year, adding that he thinks efforts to restrict Roundup Ready alfalfa are "ludicrous," in light of the fact that growers who use it also use fewer harsh chemicals for weed control, which has been an aim of increasing government restrictions.

What's ahead

The federal case against the USDA was to resume April 27, when oral arguments begin in the case's "relief" phase. Those arguments will lead to Breyer's eventual decision.

Geertson said he hopes Breyer will make the temporary injunction against seed sales and planting permanent, and require the USDA to conduct a thorough environmental analysis before considering deregulation.

Such an environmental analysis, said Geertson, would show that Roundup Ready alfalfa will eventually contaminate all alfalfa.

Monsanto was granted intervenor status in the case, said Burchett, and they're looking forward to sharing information that addresses the environmental concerns raised in the plaintiffs' lawsuit.

Elizabeth Larson is based in Lucerne, Calif. Her e-mail address is elarson@capitalpress.com.

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