EXCERPTS: Gov. James Douglas.. said Thursday if the bill became law it would discourage manufacturers from selling seeds in Vermont. He is expected to veto the bill...
Margaret Laggis, a lobbyist for the biotechnology industry, said her clients opposed the bill.
But she said it's unlikely that seed manufacturers would not sell products in Vermont if the bill became law. (item 1)
1.Governor to veto genetic seed liability bill
2.Protect small farmer
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Governor to veto genetic seed liability bill
The Associated Press, May 5, 2006
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/NEWS/60505005
Gov. James Douglas said he will veto a bill that would allow farmers to sue manufacturers of genetically modified seeds if the seeds drift into their fields.
Douglas said Thursday if the bill became law it would discourage manufacturers from selling seeds in Vermont.
He is expected to veto the bill at a Franklin County farm.
"I am prepared to act as soon as I have received it," Douglas said of the bill.
Supporters said the bill would for the first time make manufacturers liable for damages to farmers who didn’t want the product in their fields.
"We are surprised by his lack of understanding about what this bill is really about and his clear commitment to the biotechnology industry," Amy Shollenberger of Rural Vermont said of the governor. Rural Vermont, which decribes itself as a nonprofit farm advocacy group that represents those opposed to corporate industrial agriculture, has pushed to make the bill law.
Margaret Laggis, a lobbyist for the biotechnology industry, said her clients opposed the bill.
But she said it's unlikely that seed manufacturers would not sell products in Vermont if the bill became law.
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2.Protect small farmer
By Lindsey Ketchel
Burlington Free Press, May 5, 2006
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/OPINION/60505021/1006&theme=MYTURN
I want to thank the Free Press for their diligence in raising awareness of the challenges and opportunities our Vermont family farmers are facing.
For most folks living in Vermont we take for granted our working landscape and access to fresh local food. I believe we need to reinvigorate Vermont’s commitment to all farmers. While the decline in dairy farms is alarming, we need to acknowledge the increase of diversified farms, organic dairies and the growing appetite of consumers for our farm products. In Vermont we have gained 774 farms, organic agriculture has increased 20 percent annually and there are 45 farmers' markets. These trends are very promising.
In 1998 the United States Department of Agriculture commissioned a report on small farms throughout the United States entitled "A Time To Act", in response to the alarming rate of farm foreclosures nationwide. The report outlined recommendations to combat the unique challenges small farms face. Challenges like open and competitive markets, future generations of farmers and regulatory constraints were highlighted. On the national level, small farm challenges seem daunting, but on a state level I believe we have a unique opportunity to remain a vibrant small farm rural Vermont.
For the past twenty years numerous non- profits throughout Vermont have had a profound impact on our local food system by expanding local market opportunities, getting young folks connected to farming and its bounty of healthy food, providing technical assistance to organic farmers, policy development that is thoughtful and fair and conservation efforts that ensure the land will be open for the next generation. These organizations are grateful to be working with the resilient farmers of Vermont.
I believe it is time for Vermont to take real action to mitigate small farm challenges and invest in their unique opportunities. We cannot afford indecisive leadership that pits farmer against farmer. We need less talk and more action. A recent dairy task force released its recommendations, but what concrete actions have taken place?
In the past two weeks, the Vermont House and Senate voted to accept S. 18, the Farmer Protection Act., which would put the liability for economic damages from genetically engineered seeds on the manufacturers, not the neighboring farm. We need to expand Vermont's investment in Farm Viability programs which have demonstrated proven results in improving the viability of farms across Vermont. These are real farmers working incredibly hard to make a decent living and provide all of us with access to great local food.
We need a balanced and fair approach to mitigating regulatory and health concerns. I believe that farmers are good stewards of the land. They constantly must balance their work and how it impacts the soil and water. But we cannot require excessive Federal mandates and expect our small farmers to cover the financial burden. It seems lately that government is getting larger and more intrusive. We need a Vermonter-sized approach that is equitable and fair.
We need to invest in the future farmers in Vermont. Dairy scholarship programs are demonstrating positive results. We need to apply these efforts to diversified and organic agriculture. At the Intervale we frequently encounter young entrepreneurs who are eager to start their farms. We need to ensure all communities in Vermont have the opportunity to tap into these entrepreneurs. In Rutland a group is developing a beginner farm incubator program modeled after the Intervale.
I believe we need to expand on these efforts. Collectively we can have a profound impact on our farmers' future. Please consider buying a Community Supported Agriculture subscription, shopping at Farmers' Markets, donating to a non-profit, making the effort to talk with farmers to better understand their challenges and opportunities, encouraging our leaders to make decisive investments in Vermont agriculture and let’s all hope the governor will sign S. 18 and begin a legacy of supporting all the farmers in the state who truly make it unique and special.
Lindsey Ketchel is director of agriculture programs at the Intervale Foundation, chairwoman of the board of directors of Rural Vermont and a hobby sheep farmer in Starksboro.