U.S. Sued on Biotech Alfalfa OK

A coalition of farmers, consumers and environmental activists Thursday sued the U.S. government over its approval of a biotech alfalfa that critics say will spell havoc for farmers and the environment.

Opening another front in the battle over genetically modified crops, the lawsuit contends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is improperly allowing Monsanto Co. to sell an herbicide-resistant alfalfa seed while failing to analyze the public health, environmental and economic consequences of that action.

“The USDA failed to do a full environmental review when they deregulated this genetically engineered alfalfa,” said Will Rastov, an attorney for the Center for Food Safety, one of the plaintiffs.

“They’re going to wreak untold dangers into the environment.”

The lawsuit asks the federal court in San Francisco to rescind the USDA’s decision until a full environmental review has been completed.

The suit asserts that the genetically modified alfalfa will probably contaminate conventionally grown alfalfa at a fast pace, ultimately forcing farmers to pay for Monsanto’s patented gene technology whether they want the technology or not.

The coalition says biotech alfalfa would also hurt production of organic dairy and beef products because alfalfa is a key cattle feed.

St. Louis-based Monsanto received regulatory clearance to begin selling the biotech alfalfa last summer.

Monsanto spokeswoman Mica DeLong said the company had no comment on the issue and referred inquires to the USDA.

The suit names Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Ron Dehaven and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson as defendants.

Animal Plant Health spokeswoman Karen Eggert said the agency had no comment.

The EPA also declined to comment, and a spokeswoman for the USDA could not be reached.