Please Testify on Labeling of GMOs in Oregon!

At 8:00 am on Thursday, March 21^st, the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on HB 2175, HB 2530, HB 2532, or HB 3177.  If you are able to testify in person, please recognize you are limited to providing testimony on only HB 2175, 2530, 2532, and 3177.  Below are quick summaries of the scheduled bills.

 

HB 2175 Makes foods that contain or are produced using genetically engineered material subject to labeling requirements

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB2175

 

HB 2530 Prohibits importation of genetically engineered fish into this state. 

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB2530

 

HB 2532 Makes foods that contain or are produced using genetically engineered material subject to labeling requirements. 

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB2532

 

HB 3177-Requires signage in area where genetically engineered fish are sold, displayed for sale or offered for sale at retail for human consumption

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB3177

 

 

Below are the instructions for providing testimony:

 

1)      To send in testimony.  Please email letters of support to beth.patrino@state.or.us with the subject line “Testimony on GMO Legislation, H.B. __”.  Brief but substantive letters with concrete examples are most useful.   Be sure to include the bill numbers of the bills you support so that when we share them with the committee administrator they can attach your testimony to all appropriate bills.

 

2)      To personally testify on one of the bills visit http://www.leg.state.or.us/citizenguide/ or watch http://www.leg.state.or.us/comm/testify.html to get familiar with the process.

 

3)      Please share this information with others who you think might be willing to help with this effort.

 

 

GMO Bills in Oregon Currently

There are multiple bills being considered to either limit or enhance our rights to control genetically modified food in Oregon. I would ask you to look them up at this link. and then write an email or letter to your state senator and representative. You can find the contacts for your state representatives here.

The best thing to do is write your own email, but if you lack the time, please feel free to use the emails I sent below. Just tweak it to fit you and make it more personal.

This is for the senators:

I am a farmer and physician in Pleasant Hill, Oregon. I am VERY concerned about bills currently being considered in the state senate. I do not want genetically modified seed/food grown in Oregon at all but at the very least I want to keep it out of my county. There is no possible way for GE/GM seed and conventional/organic seed/food to co-exist. GE seed contaminates non GE seed being grown in fields. Eventually, all seed will become GE if we allow it to continue being grown. The problem with GE food is that it is harming my patients health. It is causing gastrointestinal inflammatory disease in my patients. When I put them on a GE free diet, they get better. Research has shown GE food to cause infertility, gastrointestinal inflammation and tumors in animals. Although, not studied in humans, I am concerned the increase in fertility is partially due to GE food.  I will be  voting for representatives that vote to limit GE food from being grown in Oregon.

I specifically would ask you to vote against SB 633 (click here to view or download SB 633) which limits counties from controlling their local food economies. The idea that the state knows better than the county is offensive. This bill will force counties that do not want GE food in their county to accept it. Voting for this bill will make the farmers happy that grow GE products, but it will make the consumers and citizens in Oregon angry enough to take action. Many groups are currently rising up against this issue and educating Oregonians about how their right to control their local food economy may be stolen away from them by their state senators. 

I will be meeting with multiple groups across Oregon soon and we want to know where you stand on this bill. How will you be voting on it. Where do you stand on GE/GM crops and co-existence with organic/conventional crops. Do you support labeling of GE/GM foods in the market place. The answers to these questions are very important to us. Are you with us or against us?

Sharol Tilgner

This is for the Representatives

I am a farmer and physician in Pleasant Hill, Oregon. I am VERY concerned about bills currently being considered in the state senate. I do not want genetically modified seed/food grown in Oregon at all but at the very least I want to keep it out of my county. There is no possible way for GE/GM seed and conventional/organic seed/food to co-exist. GE seed contaminates non GE seed being grown in fields. Eventually, all seed will become GE if we allow it to continue being grown. The problem with GE food is that it is harming my patients health. It is causing gastrointestinal inflammatory disease in my patients. When I put them on a GE free diet, they get better. Research has shown GE food to cause infertility, gastrointestinal inflammation and tumors in animals. Although, not studied in humans, I am concerned the increase in fertility is partially due to GE food.  I will be voting for representatives that vote to limit GE food from being grown in Oregon.

I specifically would ask you to vote against HB 3192 which limits counties from controlling their local food economies.  (click here to view or download HB 3192) 

The idea that the state knows better than the county is offensive. This bill will force counties that do not want GE food in their county to accept it. Voting for this bill will make the farmers happy that grow GE products, but it will make the consumers and citizens in Oregon angry enough to take action. Many groups are currently rising up against this issue and educating Oregonians about how their right to control their local food economy may be stolen away from them by their state representatives.

I would also ask you to support HB 3292 which is  a permanent prohibition on growing commodity containing genetically engineered material unless commodity is incapable of reproducing or material is declared incapable of damaging other commodities and, if for food, material has been declared safe for consumption. 

(click here to view or download HB 3292)

I would additionally ask you to support  3290 which is permanent prohibition on  growing GE alfalfa in Oregon.  (click here to view or download HB 3290)

If you have trouble with a permanent prohibition on GE alfalfa I would then ask you to support HB 3291 which is a temporary moratorium on GE alfalfa.  (click here to view or download HB 3292)

Other bills I would ask you to support regarding GE food are:

HB 2319 which allows State Department of Agriculture to impose appropriate precautions and safeguards on growing of agricultural and horticultural commodities to prevent spreading of genetically engineered material to nearby property used for farming practices. (click here to view or download HB 2319)

HB 2427 Prohibits raising of canola except in specially designated areas, which cannot include the Willamette Valley. (click here to view or download HB 2427)

I will be meeting with multiple groups across Oregon soon and we want to know where you stand on this bill. How will you be voting on it. Where do you stand on GE/GM crops and co-existence with organic/conventional crops. Do you support labeling of GE/GM foods in the market place. The answers to these questions are very important to us. Are you with us or against us?

Sharol Tilgner

You can go to this LINK to get a list of current bills being considered in Oregon that relate to GMOs and food rights in Oregon. 

Biotech Industry Backed Bill to Limit Oregon Citizens From Passing Local Laws

An Oregon bill backed by biotech industry would bar citizens from making local GE/GMO Policies:
Oregon is a hotbed of activity in the fight against genetically engineered (GE) crops. Citizens in Jackson County (in Southern Oregon) have successfully achieved getting a GE crop ban on the May 2014 ballot. Citizens in four other Oregon counties are also hard at work on similar county GE crop bans.
These local policies have been instrumental in eliminating genetically engineered crops in other states. Several counties and cities in California, Hawaii, Washington, and Maine have already adopted policies to ban the growing of GE crops in their counties. Oregon counties should be allowed the same level of local control as these other states. But local policies such as these are now in jeopardy in Oregon due to a biotech industry-backed bill in the Oregon Senate.
The bill, Senate Bill 633, would strip counties in Oregon of their abilities to craft appropriate county-wide seed policies. SB 633 would give exclusive regulatory power over seeds, and products of agricultural seed, to the state, preempting local authority. This would make it impossible to establish local policies which put restrictions or prohibitions on genetically engineered crops.
The bill is being heard in the Senate Committee for Rural Policy and Economic Development on March 12th, so please take action today!
Tell your state Senator to oppose this bill! You can locate your senator at this link: 

you can also sign a petition against this bill here: 

Oregon Bills to Stop GMOs

Finally, we have a bill to put a moratorium on growing genetically modified alfalfa in Oregon. Additionally, we have a second bill to stop all GMO food from being grown in Oregon (including Salmon). They will both be before the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. We need to have everyone contact their Oregon state representatives and ask them to support these bills. We need to let them know these bills are to protect our livelihood (if you are a dairy farmer or dairy processor) as well as our health. If you have any involvement in the dairy industry you need to tell your representative how the GMO alfalfa effects you financially as part of the organic or conventional dairy industry and why they need to support HB 3291 that places a moratorium on the growth of GMO alfalfa in Oregon. If you farm other organic or conventional items, let your representative know that HB 3292 is the most important bill to save your farm and livelihood. If you are a consumer of these foods, contact your representative and tell them you do not want to eat genetically modified foods or animals that have consumed them. Let them know you will be watching to see how they vote. Consider offering testimony. (See the phone number below.) You can find your Oregon State legislature representative here. 

The Bills in Brief

Bill to stop GMO alfalfa: HB 3291-This is a moratorium on the raising of genetically engineered alfalfa. 

-The moratorium, which comes with a maximum fine of $25,000, is set to expire January 2, 2019. (Gives us time to make it permanent. This is in case the other bill does not get voted through.)

-Here is the link if you need more information about the bill: 

-Important Contacts: Representative Buckley (Rep Buckley BuckleP@leg.state.or.us, 503-986-1405)

Bill to stop all GMO food from being grown in Oregon: HB 3292-Permanent Prohibition on growing commodity containing genetically engineered material unless commodity is incapable of reproducing or material is declared incapable of damaging other commodities and, if for food, material has been declared safe for consumption. 

Makes violation subject to civil penalty, not to exceed $10,000. Declares food containing genetically engineered material to be adulterated unless material has been declared safe for consumption. Makes violation subject to maximum of $2,500 fine, six months' imprisonment, or both, and to civil penalty not exceeding $10,000. Prohibits State Department of Fish and Wildlife from approving use of genetically engineered salmon or trout stocks for crossbreeding with natural stocks. Prohibits department from approving use of genetically engineered salmon or trout stocks unless of type that has been declared safe for consumption. Prohibits licensing of proposed salmon hatchery operation producing genetically engineered salmon if proposed operation lacks substantial protections against genetically engineered salmon breeding with natural salmon or if genetically engineered salmon have not been declared safe for consumption. Requires Director of Agriculture and appointee of Director of Oregon Health Authority to recommend rejection of application for biopharm permit if biopharm lacks substantial protections against introducing genetically engineered material into nearby agricultural or horticultural commodities. Requires taking enforcement action against biopharm if biopharm endangers agricultural, horticultural or forest production or endangers public health.

-Here is the link for information about this bill: 

Representative Boone (BooneD@leg.state.or.us, 503-986-1432), Representative Buckley (Rep Buckley BuckleP@leg.state.or.us, 503-986-1405)

And if you would like to offer any testimony, please contact the committee’s administrator, Beth Patrino (beth.patrino@state.or.us). 

If you need anything else, please contact:

Representative Phil Barnhart: Phone: (503) 986-1411, Fax: (503) 986-1561, rep.philbarnhart@state.or.us 

E-Mail: Rep.PhilBarnhart@state.or.usRepresentative Boone (BooneD@leg.state.or.us, 503-986-1432), Representative Buckley (Rep Buckley BuckleP@leg.state.or.us, 503-986-1405)