Please read the following article if you are
interested in the status of SB 777, removing local control on seed that could
be harmful to the environment.
If you are aware of opportunities to
interact with this decision please send them to the list serve:
[log in to unmask]
so that all who wish can
participate and have their opinion heard.
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4/25/2006, 8:06 p.m. ET The Associated Press |
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As approved by the Senate, the measure would have pre-empted
local governments from adopting ordinances that regulate or ban the planting of
genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
But the House version, approved on a 74-32 vote by the
Republican-controlled chamber, would let governments ban seeds if they find the
seeds will hurt the environment or public health and the bipartisan Commission
of Agriculture agrees.
The state Agriculture Department also would have to hold a
public hearing and issue an opinion on whether environmental or public health
effects will occur.
The legislation now heads back to the GOP-controlled Senate.
Five
Republicans have said federal regulators are better equipped
to regulate GMOs than are local counties or
townships, and they argued that landowners should have the right to plant what
scientists have determined is safe, free from local interference.
But some Democrats have said GMOs
threaten public health and organic farmers, who worry about losing their
"organic" certification because genetically modified crops could
contaminate their fields.
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The seed bill is Senate Bill 777.
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© 2006 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.
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!!!