Alfalfa Wars

Big victory in the war over Monsanto's <MON> Round-Up Ready Alfalfa. A federal judge on Monday issued a preliminary injunction banning the sale of Monsanto Co.'s genetically modified alfalfa and any planting of the seed after March 30. More here.

In other alfalfa news, solving California's growing thirst by shifting water from alfalfa growers is a complicated issue that bears further study, according to water specialists and farmers. The alfalfa industry is being studied because an estimated 6 million acre-feet of water is applied annually in California. Most growers use flood or furrow irrigation for alfalfa, a multiple-harvest crop. Deficit irrigation, essentially cutting off water to the crop, means reduced yield. More here.