Have You Read The Des Moines Register Lately?

The more our food supply (and the politics behind it) makes the news, the better. The more we hear about issues such as genetically modified crops, pesticides and antibiotics and hormones administered to our livestock, the more we will wonder what the hell is going on and, hopefully, demand answers.

Knowledge is power.

Here’s a news item dealing with genetically modified crops that won’t make the evening news or the front page of any newspaper, yet affects us all greatly. Instead, it is a blog post by Des Moines Register agricultural reporter Philip Brasher. Shouldn’t we all know what the government, large corporations and non-profits are up to?

The Obama administration is considering geographic limits on where biotech alfalfa can be grown, a restriction that would represent a shift in the government’s policy toward genetically engineered crops.

Farmers who grow conventional or organic alfalfa went to court to block sales of Monsanto Co.’s biotech alfalfa because of concerns that it would contaminate seed supplies.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who has been criticized by anti-biotech activists who claim he’s too close to Monsanto and other biotech companies, says his department needs to start taking into consideration the impact that genetically engineered crops can have on non-biotech farmers. Both the biotech and non-biotech sectors need to “thrive together,” he said.

Click here to read the rest of Brasher's post.