In April, we asked organic activists to take action to stop an outrageous US Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal for the biotech industry to police itself. Despite the opposition of 10,000 Organic Consumers Association members, the USDA is going forward with the controversial deregulation, which allows companies like Monsanto to decide whether their genetically engineered crops pose environmental risks.

And if this wasn't bad enough, this month, things got much, much worse. For the first time ever, the USDA announced that it was waiving its regulatory authority over a new genetically engineered lawn grass made by Scotts Miracle-Gro, letting the company start selling the Franken-grass without any review of how it might effect human health, the environment, or organic farmers whose pastures will be contaminated. Essentially, the USDA has created a new class of genetically engineered plants, animals and animal drugs that get a free pass through any government regulation or review.

Action Credit: Organic Consumers Association