Midwest Wine Press

USDA Moves to Approve 2,4-D Ready Crops

by · January 25, 2014

The USDA released the final environmental impact statement for 2,4-D ready GMO crops during January and approval during February seems likely, according to Judith McGeary, executive director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.

“The USDA took a major step towards approving 2,4-D resistant genetically engineered crops, announcing its intention to greenlight both corn and soy 2,4-D resistant crops from Dow. If we can’t get the agency to change its mind, these crops could be commercially planted this year. The agency is taking public comment until February 24,” McGeary said.

While some grape growers are reconciled to the new GMO crops that work in combination with herbicides that are more toxic to grapes than traditional glyphosate, others intend to fight drift damage in court.  Ted Kearns, a grape grower and winery owner in Wisconsin, won a civil suit against a grain farmer who improperly applied herbicides.  The court settlement was reportedly around $150,000.  Reportedly, there was an out of court drift damage settlement in Ohio for over $1 million during 2013.  (Many drift damage cases are settled out of court with the stipulation that the plaintiffs don’t discuss the case.)

McGeary of the Texas-based Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, said farmers often tell her that their biggest challenges are “the weather and the government.”  McGeary told Midwest Wine Press, “I keep trying to convince them (farmers) that, while we can’t change the weather, we can change what the government does!”

The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance has more information on 2,4-D and Dicamba resistant crops on their website at Farm and Ranch Freedom. org.   The Alliance also has a petition rejecting Dow and Monsanto’s new line of GMO crops at “Urge USDA to Reject Dow and Monsanto.”

See related story: Dow, Monsanto Respond to Herbicide Damage

See related story:  New Herbicide Resistant Crops Being Considered by USDA 

 

 

Tags:

Mark Ganchiff

Mark Ganchiff is the publisher of Midwest Wine Press, the leading source of news on the growing wine industry in the central United States. Mark has been a wine judge at the 2012 and 2014 INDY International Wine Competition, the 2014 Cold Climate Wine Competition, the 2013 Mid-American Wine Competition, the 2012 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the 2013 Michigan Wine Competition. He also enjoys speaking at wine events including the Cold Climate Wine Conference, the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Meeting, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Mark's articles about regional wine have appeared in Vineyard & Winery Management, WineMaker and several regional magazines. Mark is a Level One Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives in Louisville, but also has a residence in Chicago.

You may also like...