[extropy-chat] LUDD: VT House told GM regs unconstitutional

[Mike Lorrey]

VT House told GM Regulations Unconstitutional
by Mike Lorrey

A Vermont State House of Representatives committee was told yesterday
by the State Secretary of Agriculture Steve Kerr that any attempt by
the state to restrict the right of farmers to use genetically modified
seeds in their crops would be found unconstitutional by the courts.

The State Dept of Agriculture issues recommendations to farmers who
choose to use GM seeds regarding creating boundaries that will limit
DNA drift into neighboring crops. However, in testimony before the
House Agriculture Committee, the Secretary said, "Any kind of appraisal
that would stigmatize genetically engineered foods would not stand
constitutional muster." The recommendations his department makes are
"perhaps the only permissible approach because we cannot create
mandatory rules of the road," he told the committee.

This summer Kerr asked seed manufacturers, such as Monsanto and
Dairlyand Seed Co., to report how much and what tupe of genetically
engineered seeds they sold in Vermont in 2002. They have until Jan 15th
to comply.

So far five of seven companies have submitted data. "It's not perfect
year for reporting," Kerr said, "We're still working out the bugs."

This is a marked change from a few years ago, when Vermont, under the
leadership of former Governor, now Presidential Candidate Howard Dean,
was the leader of a national effort to restrict the use of BGH in dairy
cows, and ultimately fought for labelling on containers of dairy
products that use, or are free of, such milk.

=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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