Is Organic Agriculture Doomed?

With the approval of GMO Alfalfa, GMO Sugar Beets and GMO Corn, organic farmers are fighting harder than ever to protect their land and crops. Meanwhile, the agro-chemical companies are pleased that their profits are soaring. It is assumed that organic is in peril. Why is this devastating to organic farmers? One main reason is cross-fertilization. This is especially disastrous for organic farmers because once an organic field is contaminated, the organic farmer’s certification is at risk. The organic label prohibits the use of GMO crops. Losing organic certification would mean the farmer’s goods can no longer be sold for the premium price that helps cover the costs of growing organically. According to Farmaid.org, most genetically engineered crops hitting the market are developed by multinational companies such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Dupont and Dow Chemical to increase their sales and push their related pesticides. For example, Roundup Ready crops are engineered to withstand Monsanto’s toxic herbicide Roundup. With Roundup Ready alfalfa and sugar beets on the market, Monsanto can expect increased profits from its new seeds, as well as increased sales of Roundup herbicide to douse all those new seeds. This has also been a core issue for the beekeeping community which has expressed concern that the combination of GMO crops with the companion technology of neonicotinoids is devastating the rapidly declining bee population. It appears that the fate of organic farmers in the USA seems doomed but is it? In this encore segment of The Organic View, host, June Stoyer talks to organic farming advocate, Dr. Bob Quinn, President of Kamut® International. Today's show is sponsored by Eden Foods. When you shop online at EdenFoods.com enter the coupon code “ORGVIEW” to receive 20% OFF any regularly priced items (excluding cases).