In a message dated 6/24/2009 1:23:58 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Many  thanks to Neil Carman, PhD, member of Sierra Club's Genetic
Engineering  Action Team, for all the work he put into this!

FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS  BAN ON GENETICALLY-ENGINEERED ALFALFA

Appeals Court Rules Planting of  Biotech Crop Can Cause Irreversible
Harm to Organic and Conventional Crops,  Farmers, and the Environment

Monsanto's Petition to Rehear Denied in  Full

San Francisco, CA - June 24, 2009 - In a decision handed down  here
today, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit  has
re-affirmed its previous decision upholding a nationwide ban on  the
planting of genetically-engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa  pending
a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The Court  determined
that the planting of genetically modified alfalfa can result  in
potentially irreversible harm to organic and conventional varieties  of
crops, damage to the environment, and economic harm to  farmers.

Although the suit was brought against United States Department  of
Agriculture (USDA), Monsanto Company and Forage Genetics entered  into
the suit as Defendant-Intervenors.  In September 2008 the  Ninth
Circuit affirmed the lower court's ruling, but the  Intervenors
continued to press the appeal alone, requesting the appellate  court to
rehear the case.  Today's decision denied that request and  re-affirmed
the earlier decision in full.

"This ruling affirms a  major victory for consumers, ranchers, organic
farmers, and most  conventional farmers across the country," said
Andrew Kimbrell, Executive  Director of the Center for Food Safety.
"Roundup Ready Alfalfa represents a  very real threat to farmers'
livelihoods and the environment; the court  rightly dismissed
Monsanto's claims that their bottom line should come  before the rights
of the public and America's farmers.  This ruling is  a turning point
in the regulation of biotech crops in this  country."

Today's decision again upholds District Court Judge Charles  Breyer's
earlier ruling of May 2007, in which he found that the USDA failed  to
address concerns that Roundup Ready alfalfa will  contaminate
conventional and organic alfalfa.  The Ninth Circuit  decision affirms
that USDA violated national environmental laws by  approving GE alfalfa
without a full Environmental Impact  Statement.

The Center for Food Safety represented itself and the  following
co-plaintiffs in the suit: Western Organization of Resource  Councils,
National Family Farm Coalition, Sierra Club, Beyond  Pesticides,
Cornucopia Institute, Dakota Resource Council, Trask Family  Seeds, and
Geertson Seed Farms.  For more information, please  visit
www.centerforfoodsafety.org .

#  #   #

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2009/06/24/07-16458.pdf

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