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Confronting coexistence in the United States: organic agriculture, genetic engineering, and the case of Roundup Ready ® alfalfa

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  • Kristina Hubbard
  • Neva Hassanein

Abstract

In agriculture, the principle of coexistence refers to a condition where different primary production systems can exist in the vicinity of each other, and can be managed in such a way that they affect each other as little as possible. Coexistence policies aim to ensure that farmers are able to freely grow the crops they choose—be they genetically engineered (GE), non-GE conventional, or organic. In the United States (US), the issue of coexistence has very recently come into sharp relief with the introduction of Roundup Ready ® (RR) alfalfa, a landmark court decision in 2007 (Geertson v. Johanns), and subsequent governmental actions, including the first Environmental Impact Statement on a GE crop. By contrast, in 2003 the European Union (EU) created a policy to manage coexistence and to address economic harms that may be caused by contamination. We briefly review the EU framework as an instructive resource. This policy analysis then looks at the US organic industry and its standards with respect to GE before turning to the case of RR alfalfa. With a focus on the field trial stage and on environmental assessments prior to market approval, the case reveals numerous problems in the existing regulatory framework as it pertains to coexistence and prevention of contamination of organic products with GE material. The paper concludes with specific policy recommendations for creating a more robust coexistence policy in the US. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kristina Hubbard & Neva Hassanein, 2013. "Confronting coexistence in the United States: organic agriculture, genetic engineering, and the case of Roundup Ready ® alfalfa," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(3), pages 325-335, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:30:y:2013:i:3:p:325-335
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-012-9394-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. B. Deaton & John Hoehn, 2005. "The social construction of production externalities in contemporary agriculture: Process versus product standards as the basis for defining “organic”," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 22(1), pages 31-38, March.
    2. Michele Graziano Ceddia & Mark Bartlett & Caterina De Lucia & Charles Perrings, 2011. "On the regulation of spatial externalities: coexistence between GM and conventional crops in the EU and the ‘newcomer principle’," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 55(1), pages 126-143, January.
    3. Karen Klonsky, 2000. "Forces impacting the production of organic foods," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 17(3), pages 233-243, September.
    4. Glickman, Daniel R., 2000. "Remarks By U.S. Secretary Of Agriculture," Agricultural Outlook Forum 2000 33448, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Outlook Forum.
    5. Ceddia, Michele Graziano & Bartlett, Mark & Lucia, Caterina De & Perrings, Charles, 2011. "On the regulation of spatial externalities: coexistence between GM and conventional crops in the EU and the ‘newcomer principle’," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 55(1), pages 1-18.
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    1. Maciejczak, Mariusz, 2015. "Will the institution of coexistence be re-defined by TTIP?," GMCC-15: Seventh GMCC, November 17-20, 2015, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 211478, International Conference on Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains (GMCC).
    2. Frédéric Goulet & Gabriela Giordano, 2017. "Searching for family farming in Argentina: chronicles of a technological innovation between two worlds," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 98(4), pages 233-253, December.

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