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This is a little more detail on how our “state
reps” voted and reasoning. Please send your opinion to the
govern this week.
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and
Crop Specialist
C.S. Mott Group for
Sustainable Food Systems
CARRS Departent of
Community, Agriclture, Recreation and Resource Studies
303 Natural Resources
Bldg
Phone: 517-353-3542
Cell: 517-282-3557
FAX 517-353-3834
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Don’t
forget! A carrot a day may keep the doctor away but an ORGANIC carrot a
day, grown locally will
taste good, support your farmer neighbor AND may keep the doctor away!!!
From: Linking growers,
consumers, and all those in-between [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jean Doss
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 12:14
PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: MIRS Article Seed Bill on
its way to Gov
Seed
Some Senate Republicans voted against the caucus on a bill that
would prohibit local governments from regulating genetically engineered seeds.
Most Senators voted in favor of SB 0777, which was introduced by Sen. Gerald VAN
WOERKOM (R-Muskegon), because it leaves seed regulation
in the hands of the federal government.
Republican Sens. Patty BIRKHOLZ
(R-Saugatuck Twp.), Bill HARDIMAN (R-Kentwood)
and
Hardiman and Cassis said they voted against the bill, which they originally
voted in favor of, because of a House amendment that would allow local
governments to talk to the agriculture commission to maybe get a certain seed
prohibited.
Cassis said she didn't like the amendment because it would take local control
away from local governments and would pit the Farm Bureau against townsh ips.
Hardiman agreed.
The bill passed 24-12. Several Democrats, including Liz BRATER
(D-Ann Arbor), Hansen CLARKE
(D-Detroit), Bob EMERSON
(D-Flint), Martha G. SCOTT (D-Highland
Park), Gilda JACOBS
(D-Huntington Woods), Buzz THOMAS (D-Detroit),
Deb CHERRY
(D-Burton), Ray BASHAM
(D-Taylor) and Gretchen WHITMER
(D-East Lansing) joined the three Republicans in their dissent.
The opposition to SB 0777 has frequently said that the federal government's
regulation standards aren't strict enough. The bill is headed to the Governor.