An irrigation system in an Idaho alfalfa field. (Photo: tea_time/flickr)
The Supreme Court has decided to hear its first case about genetically engineered crops
The case, Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, involve Monsanto's Roundup ready alfalfa seeds. The Center for Food Safety is saying that the US Department of Agriculture's approval of the GE alfalfa was illegal, and the battle has been going on since 2006.
In '06, the Center for Food Safety took Monsanto to court on behalf of food producers who did not want to grow the Roundup ready alfalfa or worry about cross-contamination from GE seeds growing nearby. The CFS won that case and two appeals by Monsanto. Now, Monsanto has convinced the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, said:
This is truly a ‘David versus Goliath’ struggle, between public interest non-profits and a corporation bent on nothing less than domination of our food system. That Monsanto has pushed this case all the way to the Supreme Court, even though USDA’s court-ordered analysis is now complete, and the U.S. government actively opposed further litigation in this matter, underscores the great lengths that Monsanto will go to further its mission of patent control of our food system and selling more pesticides.
The court-ordered analysis he's referring to was the result of a federal district court ruling in 2007. It demanded that the USDA create an Environmental Impact Statement on the impact the crop would have on farmers and the environment. This was huge, because it was the first time the U.S. government had done any analysis like this on a GE crop.
I'm definitely interested in seeing where this goes. A Supreme Court ruling would set a strong precedent for the future of genetic engineering. If they uphold the federal court ruling from 2007, it will send a powerful message about GE crops, testing, and food safety.
Image: Alfalfa Fields in Idaho. Creative Commons photo by tea_time
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great piece. the lives of traditional farmers that GM crops are ruining (hundreds of Indian farmers even committing suicide: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/14/Everything-you-MUST-KNOW-About-Dangerous-Genetically-Modified-Foods.aspx), the various health problems they are creating (look at the same link above), and the drastic effects it looks like they could have on the food systems we rely on should be plenty to get the Supreme Court to stand up against Big Ag. hopefully, they will do it.
Thanks, Zach! I hope you’re right!!
If they haven’t infiltrated the supreme court.. this is a classic case of corporatism, where the FDA is run by ex-monsanto executives with lasting ties. Bring down Monsanto, someone.
It is my understanding that “mon santo” actually stands for “my satan”. Their
demonic activity in forcing U.S. farmers out of business through the court system
by alleging the American farmers had seed on the farmer’s own land that contained
one of their (Monsanto’s) genetic traits. Any idiot worth half their salt knows that
the wind blows pollen all over the place.
What idiot on the Supreme Court would allow a monopoly on food by this
dervish company. Yes folks, Monsanto is the same company that made AGENT
ORANGE, L-tryptophan, etc. etc. FIND THE MOVIE “THE WORLD ACCORDING
TO MONSANTO” and watch it. You can watch it for free by looking through google.
If someone would pay for my to go back to graduate school, I bet I would be a heck
of an environmental lawyer for the GOOD OLD AMERICAN PEOPLE. I wouldn’t mind
taking on stupid, megalithic, selfish monstrosities like mon santo.