GMW: Genetic crop bill OK'd by Assembly - Blocks further bans by counties

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GMW: Genetic crop bill OK'd by Assembly - Blocks further bans

by counties

" GM WATCH " <info

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 11:41:57 +0100

 

 

 

 

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Genetic crop bill OK'd by Assembly

Blocks further bans by counties

San Francisco Chronicle, 26 August 2006

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/15368215.htm

 

SACRAMENTO - California Republicans and moderate Democrats joined

forces this week to approve a bill that would prevent local

governments from

banning genetically modified crops.

 

The bill, SB1056, by Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, passed the Assembly

with a 46-19 bipartisan majority.

 

The legislation, backed by the California Farm Bureau Federation and

large agribusiness concerns such as Monsanto, comes in response to moves

by Marin, Mendocino, Santa Cruz and Trinity counties to ban

bioengineered crops.

 

Opponents of genetically engineered foods say they are potentially

unsafe and pose a business threat to organic farmers who could lose

organic

certification if their crops were contaminated by biotech seeds.

 

The bans prompted Florez to introduce legislation that would give the

state exclusive control over the regulation of field crops.

 

While the four counties that already have bans in place would be exempt

from the bill, California's remaining 54 counties would be required to

look to the state for regulation of the industry, even though the state

does not have any regulation on the books.

 

Supporters say state regulation is unnecessary because the industry is

already highly scrutinized by the federal government, but opponents say

recent bans on genetically engineered crops should signal the state

that better regulation is necessary.

 

''If there's strong state regulation that adequately protects farmers,

the environment and consumers, there should be no need for local

initiatives,'' said Rebecca Spector, a spokeswoman for the Center for

Food

Safety. Florez told The Chronicle in July that he planned to add to the

bill statewide regulations on genetically engineered seeds, to give

local governments the assurance that the industry is being regulated.

 

He said Thursday that he has been negotiating with opponents for a

two-year moratorium on laws affecting bioengineered crops -- which he

called ''a pause until we could get that state policy in place'' -- but

negotiators were unable to come to an agreement.

 

''Everyone was clear -- we were either going to compromise or move the

bill,'' said Florez. ''The enviro folks made a bad bet.''

 

 

 

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