USDA Needs Your Comments on Roundup Ready Alfalfa

Dear Friends

Since 2007, there has been a court ordered injunction prohibiting the planting of Roundup Ready Alfalfa. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened a public comment period allowing farmers and producers to express their thoughts on the value and benefit of this technology.

We have four requested action

1. As AFACT members, please show your commitment to technology and provide your thoughts on Roundup Ready Alfalfa to the USDA
2. Consider attending one of the USDA public hearings
3. Ask 5 - 10 other farmers to send their comments to USDA and attend the public hearing
4. Please invite those 5-10 farmers to join AFACT

Share your comments with USDA
Submit Comments Online at: USDA Public Comments Site or get help preparing your letter to mail or submit online at: Roundup Ready Alfalfa

How to provide Roundup Ready Alfalfa comments:
You may comment online using the USDA site or you may get help creating your letter at the Roundup Ready Alfalfa site.

What should I write?

It is best to provide your personal experiences on your farm with the use of biotechnology like modified corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar beets, etc. The Roundup Ready Alfalfa site has a downloadable “Tool Kit” with sample benefits of the technology, such as:

• Dependable and cost-effective control
• Improved efficiency of farming operation
• Economic benefits
• Consistent, high-quality, weed-free forage and hay
• Improved environmental quality
• Improved worker safety
• Response to opponents’ claims

How do I attend a public hearing of the USDA?
The USDA has scheduled public meetings to hear comments on this issue January 19, 2010 and on February 3, 4 and 9, 2010. Meetings will be held:

Tuesday, 1/19/2010 in Las Vegas, NV
Location: Golden Nugget Hotel, 129 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (local time)

Wednesday, 2/3/2010 in Kearney, NE
Location: Buffalo County Fairgrounds Exhibit Center, 3807 Avenue N., Kearney, NE
Time: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (local time)

Thursday, 2/4/2010 in Lincoln, NE
Location: Holiday Inn Haymarket, 141 North 9th Street, Lincoln, NE
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (local time)

Tuesday, 2/9/2010 in Riverdale, MD
Location: USDA Center at Riverside, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (local time)

Registration for all meetings will take place 30 minutes before the meeting starts.

How do I help other farmers send comments to the USDA?

Forward a link to this page or print copies to hand out at meetings of Ag organizations like your County Farm Bureau.

How do I encourage fellow farmers and other industry people to join AFACT?

1. Share why it is important for agriculture to speak out on the benefits of technology to produce safe, nutritious and affordable food in the most environmentally sustainable manner.
2. When farmers have approved technologies, they must have the right to choose the products and concepts that work best on their farms.
3. AFACT provides support to farmers who tell their stories to the food chain and consumers about their farms, families and why modern production practices are valuable.
4. Please ask them to join AFACT by registering online at www.itisafact.org or by calling (800) 340-0737 for an application.

Thank you for helping to protect your right to choose the best production practices for your farm!

The AFACT Leadership Team

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 9:09 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.