Tell USDA to Stop Protecting Monsanto and the Biotech Industry!

In July 2011, the USDA gave GMOs a regulatory hall pass. This came on the heels of a whole slew of deregulation decisions by the USDA.

The agency determined that, thanks to a tiny technical loophole, they had no oversight over GMO Kentucky bluegrass. This meant that the grass—and any GMOs created via the same GMO technique—could be planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero government oversight.

Late last month, Scott’s Miracle-Gro quietly announced that their employees will “test” the Roundup-resistant GMO grass by planting it in their home lawns in Marysville, Ohio. Scott’s hopes to have thousands more consumers planting their GMO grass by 2016—and thanks to the USDA, there’s no framework in place to keep this from happening.

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Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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Dear [Decision Maker],

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In July 2011, your agency gave genetically modified organisms a regulatory hall pass. The USDA determined that, thanks to a tiny technical loophole, you had no oversight over GMO Kentucky bluegrass. This meant that the grass -- and any GMOs created via the same GMO technique -- could be planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero government oversight.

Late last month, Scott's Miracle-Gro quietly announced that their employees will "test" the Roundup-resistant GMO grass by planting it in their home lawns in Marysville, Ohio. Scott's hopes to have thousands more consumers planting their GMO grass by 2016 -- and thanks to your agency, there's no framework in place to keep this from happening.

This means if my neighbor plants GMO grass, my lawn may become full GMOs, too. Cross-contamination of non-GMO crops is already a reality. Pollen can travel anywhere from the length of three football fields to thousands of miles away. Given this, and the fact there's little to no space between suburban lawns -- it's completely unrealistic to assume GMO grass will stay where it's planted.

Without regulation, genetically engineered crops will encroach on non-GE crops, irretrievably contaminating them. There have already been over 200 episodes of transgenic contamination of alfalfa alone, costing farmers hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales. And even though there are rules in place designed to prevent contamination of regular sugarbeets by the Roundup Ready variety, no one can say if these rules will be effective -- until the damage has already been done!

Recent studies show that genetically engineered foods are causing terrible genetic changes in mammal offspring. Scientists are seeing birth defects, high infant mortality rates, and sterility in hamsters, rats, and livestock fed genetically engineered soy and corn. Some hamster pups even begin growing hair inside their mouths! And you want my children to play on GMO lawns?

We are at a now-or-never moment with respect to GMOs in America. The more these seeds are released into the air, neighboring farms, and now suburban lawns, the harder it will be to stop them.

Stop protecting Monsanto and the biotech industry! GMO Kentucky bluegrass, and all GMO crops, need the most stringent controls to protect the American public from potential harm.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Protecting Natural Health