Agribusiness watchdog OrganicEye today demanded the U.S. Department of Agriculture hold a public hearing — or face litigation — on the use of mRNA and other genetically engineered vaccines in organic livestock production.

Agribusiness watchdog OrganicEye today demanded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hold a public hearing — or face litigation — on the use of mRNA and other genetically engineered vaccines in organic livestock production. The use of such genetically modified products violates the legal definition of "organic," the group said.

The request comes after reports that the USDA and some organic certifiers have "quietly looked the other way" as commercial livestock producers have begun using genetically engineered vaccines in animals producing organic-certified meat, eggs and dairy products, according to OrganicEye.

One of the most important differences — perhaps the key difference — between conventional and organic food is the organic label's strict prohibition on genetically modified farm inputs and ingredients, as laid out in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.

OrganicEye said that rather than enforcing this rule, the USDA has sanctioned a "don't ask, don't tell" protocol — pushed by Big Ag — that allows producers to administer genetically engineered vaccines to animals and still label them "organic."

The issue is urgent, according to Mark Kastel, executive director of Wisconsin-based OrganicEye, because of the imminent use of mRNA vaccines for livestock, which are currently being developed with massive funding from government and industry.