11/16/05 Washington wants delay on RR alfalfa

Farm and Ranch November 16, 2005 Growers and exporters told a Monsanto representative during a Washington Farm Bureau sponsored event this week that they don't want Roundup Ready Alfalfa seed sold in Washington next year due to concerns about GMO's in their largest export market, Japan. Manterola: "As far as I am concerned the customer is always right whether you agree with them or not, if he doesn't want it you don't make it for them. So whatever they say is what we need to do. They are speaking pretty loudly the don't want GMO's." That's alfalfa grower David Manterola. Monsanto licensee Forage Genetics has been selling the seed of the herbicide tolerant alfalfa in other western states including Oregon and Idaho but has held off in Washington until full regulatory approval is finalized in Japan. And that is expected in early 2006. Jennifer Garrett, Monsanto director of public relations and a member of the alfalfa team, told the forum a test kit is available for determining if alfalfa is GMO or not if a customer wants conventional hay. Garrett: "The test strips are now available and I had several comments after the meeting glad to know we are designing a specific sampling protocol to make sure we use those test probes appropriately." Growers and exporters at the forum asked that Monsanto give the Washington industry more time to educate its overseas customers. Garrett said she would relay that request to decision makers but also emphasized that Monsanto believes in giving growers the power of choice and if they are concerned, then they should talk to their neighbors about not growing Roundup Ready alfalfa. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.