Most of the organic food we eat in Canada is imported from the U.S.. I am deeply concerned that the U.S. may allow plantings of GE alfalfa which I know will result in the contamination of organic alfalfa in the U.S. and Canada. I do not want to eat GE foods which is one reason why I choose to buy certified organic food.

The national organic standards in both the U.S. and Canada prohibit the use of genetically engineered organisms. This is a central tenet of organics.

The USDA claims that consumers will not reject GE contamination in organic alfalfa if the contamination is unintentional or if the transgenic material is not transmitted to the end milk or meat product. This is not the case. I am a Canadian consumer of U.S. organic foods and food ingredients and I care deeply about the integrity of certified organic foods. GE is fundamentally not organic.

The GE contamination of organic alfalfa would severely impact the entire organic system in the U.S. and Canada, especially because many different types of organic farmers plant alfalfa to improve soil fertility. This important technique makes it possible to farm successfully without using chemical fertilizers. Contamination by GE alfalfa would eliminate this valuable tool, causing severe economic and agronomic costs to organic farmers.

Farmers have a fundamental right to sow the seeds of their choice but this choice can be eliminated by GE contamination. This happened in Canada when prairie organic grain farmers had to stop growing canola because there was no way to prevent contamination by cross-pollination with GE canola during the growing season.

Organic farming provides healthy food grown without pesticides or GE organisms, and builds better soil. The future of organic farming is threatened by GE alfalfa

The USDA should reject the deregulation of GE alfalfa to protect organic farming and food in the U.S. and Canada, and protect the U.S. organic food trade to Canada.

We have enough at risk with having such a narrow range of varieties making up almost all the common grains as it is; having that few be GE as well is both dangerous and foolhardy.

Whatever happened to good old fashioned breeding?