Alfalfa from a farm in East Washington State, which caused a stir last week when it was rejected by a broker over contamination concerns, has tested positive for genetically modified traits. Results of testing published over the weekend by the state agriculture department reveal that samples of alfalfa contain genetically modified organisms, suggesting the conventionally grown crop had been contaminated.

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The alfalfa tested positive for traces of Monsanto's GM Roundup-Ready variety, which was licensed two years ago amidst vocal protests that commercialisation of the perennial crop would lead to widespread outcrossing, affecting conventional alfalfa growers.

Although the results of testing were published on Friday, USDA and Washington State Department of Agriculture have yet to comment on the case. The unnamed Washington farmer contacted the state agriculture department in late August after having had alfalfa hay rejected by a broker.

The case of contamination in Washington has come to light as the State prepares to vote on Initiative 522, which would introduce mandatory labelling for foods containing genetically modified ingredients.   

Although Monsanto has pointed out that many of the United States' trade partners do not demand GM-free alfalfa, there are a significant number of importers who do, and growers are concerned that the discovery of contaminated alfalfa in Washington could have similar effects to that of unlicensed GM wheat in Oregon earlier in the year, which saw a number of States in East Asia suspend imports of soft white wheat from the United States.

Grown mostly for feed, alfalfa is the United States' fourth most widely grown field crop. Alfalfa exports are worth over $1.25 billion to US farmers. Organic dairy farmers also rely on the crop, and contamination could cause them to lose faith in alfalfa as a feed.

Reacting on Thursday, the US-based Center for Food Safety said the two discoveries of contamination with GM organisms, occurring in such close succession, highlighted the "inadequacy of the U.S. regulatory structure for GM crops."   The Centre's executive director Andrew Kimbrell said, "Center for Food Safety has vigorously opposed the introduction of GE alfalfa, precisely because it was virtually certain to contaminate natural alfalfa, among other severe environmental and economic harms." 

On Friday, Washington senator Maralyn Chase commented, "Our state's farmers are becoming collateral damage of the reckless practices of the agriculture industry in this country. More than 60 of our trade partners throughout the world have bans on the import of unlabeled GMO foods. Negative news about contamination problems are absorbed into the market and reflected across the board. As a trade-dependent state, Washington and its farmers can no longer tolerate the reckless practices of Monsanto and other bad actors."