Saturday, January 22, 2011

Vilsack blasted on biotech alfalfa on eve of House hearing

(1/19/2011)

Sally Schuff

USDA's regulatory regime for allowing planting of genetically engineered alfalfa will be aired by the House Agriculture Committee in a public forum Thursday (Jan. 20) at 10 a.m. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will go before the committee to answer questions about a recent decision to seek a policy of "co-existence" with organic growers on regulating Roundup Ready alfalfa. That policy drew a rebuke from three Republicans on the eve of Vilsack's appearance.
On the eve of the House event, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R., Okla.) as well as the ranking Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sens. Pat Roberts and Saxby Chambliss sent Vilsack a letter criticizing his action on the GE alfalfa. They requested a return to “to a science based regulatory system for agriculture biotechnology.” In a joint statement, they pointed out that “while science strongly supports the safety of GE alfalfa, USDA’s proposal politicizes the regulatory process and could set a harmful precedent for open pollinated crops in the future.”
The House Agriculture Committee will hold a public “forum” on the issue on Jan. 20 – rather than the earlier announced formal hearing. Vilsack and National Council of Farm Cooperatives CEO Chuck Conner will give statements. (Conner was acting Agriculture Secretary and USDA Deputy Secretary during the administration of President George W. Bush.) Press Secretary Tamara Hinton explained the event will be a “forum” under parliamentary rules, the committee has not yet officially been constituted for the new Congress. Rep. Collin Peterson, the former chairman, who is now the ranking Democrat, announced the Democratic roster for the committee on Jan. 19