Editor,

I appreciate your critical comments about the city manager search and the deepening of the river. These are important issues.

However, I’d like to draw your attention to another issue that is even more important, as it creates a threat to the whole population of the U.S. and goes pretty much unnoticed by media and public:

Monsanto has just won the case against those concerned about their genetically modified alfalfa.

“After nearly five years of legal and regulatory battles, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has fully deregulated Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa that is genetically modified (GM) to be resistant to Roundup herbicide.” (www.truth–out.org)

Why is that so shocking? The farmers and advocates against Monsanto argue that Roundup Ready alfalfa could cross–pollinate with organic and traditional alfalfa and transmit Monsanto transgenes to the non–GM crops.

And thus, no one, not even the most sustainable farmer, could guarantee anymore that their products are free from GMO (genetically modified organisms).

In addition Roundup Ready alfalfa will increase the use of the controversial herbicide. Some farmers fear the herbicide, already sprayed on GM corn and soybeans grown in the U.S., could drift onto organic alfalfa fields while promoting the growth of herbicide–resistant “super weeds.”

While Europe tries to fight Monsanto and GMO, here in the U.S. no one talks about this, and it seems consumers are not aware or do not want to be aware.

This is why you already have GMO in your food stuff, from corn to soy beans. It might be almost all non–organic processed food you buy in the supermarkets.

The claim usually invoked is that GM products are “substantially equal” to non–GM products, and for that reason do not require regulation or labeling.

The courts so far have sided with the very powerful GM companies, and the influence of the GM giants into the government and legal system is impressive enough that change in the near future is unlikely.

Is it REALLY? Can’t we citizens do anything about that?

nother entry point of modified genes in our food are genetically modified Bovine Growth Hormones (rBST), again produced and introduced by Monsanto, that are used to make cows an efficient “milk–machine”. But these poor creatures get diseases from this and end their lives after 4 years, while a normal cow could live 20. By the way Monsanto’s rBSTs are banned in Europe and Canada.

Sorry, Mr. President, but this is not what we wanted you to do when the whole world was hoping that you get elected and bring about the change that a lot of people in the rest of the world would love to see in the U.S.

Why is it that God’s blessed country still is the LEADER in destroying God’s blessed creation?

It’s time the American people stand up for their rights against these kinds of corporations and force government into restricting environmentally and socially damaging industry practice, especially when it comes to our food.

We are (or become) what we eat!

Ursula Tischner