Move has sparked outcry from critics who fear the grass could contaminate crops in Oregon’s billion-dollar grass seed industry

EXCERPT: Jerry Erstrom chairs the weed board in Malheur County, where the grass has taken root after crossing the Snake River from Idaho. “The potential of this plant, not only economically, but environmentally ... the devastation it can cause … people don’t appreciate how bad it can be,” Erstrom said.
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Federal approval of GMO grass seed sparks outcry

OPB, 18 Jan 2017
http://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-approval-of-gmo-grass-seed-sparks-outcry/

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has deregulated a controversial grass seed that is genetically modified to resist the herbicide called Roundup. The move has sparked outcry from critics who fear the grass could contaminate crops in Oregon’s billion-dollar grass seed industry.

Genetically modified creeping bentgrass was created by Scotts Miracle-Gro as a product for golf courses. But the grass escaped from its test plots and has continued to spread across Southeast and Central Oregon despite eradication efforts.

Jerry Erstrom chairs the weed board in Malheur County, where the grass has taken root after crossing the Snake River from Idaho.

“The potential of this plant, not only economically, but environmentally ... the devastation it can cause … people don’t appreciate how bad it can be,” Erstrom said.

Scotts has agreed not to sell the grass seed, but Erstrom says deregulation takes the company off the hook for costs of eradicating the plant.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture opposed the move citing concerns that local landowners would get stuck with those costs.