Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8480 / SEEDWORLD.COM JANUARY 2017 IT’S NOT JUST politicians who stopped listening to We the People. Every industry group in America’s most important sector, farming, wasted the Past 16 years trying to compromise with a special-interest group that has no respect for science. This will hopefully end on Jan. 20 when a businessman takes the helm. Just 0.7 percent of total farmland is organic in America. But under the past two administrations, this tiny tail wagged the dog in Washington D.C., with nary a farm bureau, commodity group or industry lobbyist having the guts to stand up to organic activists who demand “protection” from technologies that pose no threat whatsoever to organic farms. Of these technologies, genetically-modified organ- isms (GMOs) should, in truth, be embraced by these activists. But they rejected GMOs purely for appear- ance-sake, all while President Obama stood silent, garnering support from both sides. Organic sales in America account for 4 percent of total food sales, more than five times the amount of land under organic management, meaning anti-GMO organic retailers rely on imports 80 percent of the time, putting the lie to the ruse that buying organic supports American farmers. Meanwhile, organics accounted for a whopping 7 percent of all food recalls in America last year, almost double what one would expect according to sales, 10-times what one would expect from America’s organic acreage! This direct threat to your family results from the lack of field testing required to become certified under American organic standards. But rather than address this public-health menace, the most impor- tant advancement in agricultural science in the past 100 years is attacked on the Floor of Congress and in the media, and is crushed under a mountain of useless red tape as stakeholders and politicians continue to agonize over how to appease the leaders of America’s diminutive anti-GMO sector. Isn’t the solution obvious? President Clinton had it almost right when he attempted to unite organic and GMO farming. But organic activists drowned-out the voices of American farmers, and America’s National Organic Program became law with an absolute exclu- sion on all GMOs, no exceptions, even in cases where GMO crops require no pesticides, making them ideal candidates for organic certification. Overregulation acts as a major drag on the econ- omy, making us 75 percent poorer. In the bogus case of GMOs v. Organics, it has also made us far less humane. A half-million kids will go blind and die this year in the Third World while GMO Golden Rice that could provide them with Beta carotene remains in regulatory limbo thanks to organic activists who claim it will contami- nate organic crops and lead to unspecified health effects. Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama all share blame in failing to address this, along with their allies. Instead of driving this propaganda wedge deeper, President Donald J. Trump can return farming in America to what it was before a handful of activists took control in our nation’s capital. Failing such unity, brace yourself for European food prices, triple what you’re accustomed to paying, with no benefit. But, fear not dear friends, because something tells me that’s not Trump’s style. SW “Just 0.7 percent of total farmland is organic in America. But under the past two administrations, this tiny tail wagged the dog in Washington D.C.” — Mischa Popoff MISCHA POPOFF Policy advisor for The Heartland Institute, former USDA contract organic inspector and author of “Is it Organic? The inside story of the organic industry” Organic Tail Wagging in D.C.