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.
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)
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.
