Alfalfa is commonly known to be the fourth most grown crop in the United States. Farmers use the millions of acres of alfalfa to produce forage seed and hay for cows and other livestock. The controversy surrounding United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved planting of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa has everyone in an uproar.
And if youre finding yourself asking why, dont be alarmed; many faithful readers of the media are finding themselves lost in the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) reports, Whole Foods and Organic Valley responses, and the general coverage over the proposed USDA scandal.
Controversy in review:
Besides Alfalfa providing livestock feed, Alfalfa is also a major pollinator. Therefore, the concern of it cross-pollinating and transferring genetic material to other plants is an issue.
Understanding this issue, USDA in December announced that it may impose geographic restrictions on the cultivation of biotech alfalfa. According to The New York Times writer Paul Voosen, the controls meant to limit the crops' cross-pollination with conventional and organic varieties.