The Monsanto Protection Act? A Debate on Controversial New Measure Over Genetically Modified Crops

[G_j]

http://m.democracynow.org/stories/13556


President Obama outraged food activists last week when he signed into law a spending bill with a controversial rider that critics have dubbed the "Monsanto Protection Act." The rider says the government must allow the planting of genetically modified crops even if courts rule they pose health risks. The measure has galvanized the U.S. food justice movement, which is now preparing for its next fight when the provision expires in six months. We host a discussion on the "Monsanto Protection Act" and the safety of genetically modified foods with two guests: Gregory Jaffe, director of the Biotechnology Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that addresses food and nutrition issues; and Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch and author of the book, "Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America." On Wednesday, Hauter’s group is releasing a major new report called "Monsanto: A Corporate Profile." [includes rush transcript]

<snip>

AMY GOODMAN: One of the biggest supporters of the provision was Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, Monsanto’s home state. Blunt reportedly crafted the bill’s language with Monsato’s help.
On the other side was the lone member of the Senate who’s also an active farmer, Democrat Jon Tester of Montana. Senator Tester tried to remove the rider when the budget bill made its way through Congress last month. Speaking on the Senate floor, Tester said the provision would undermine judicial oversight and hurt family farmers.

SEN. JON TESTER: The United States Congress is telling the Agricultural Department that even if a court tells you that you’ve failed to follow the right process and tells you to start over, you must disregard the court’s ruling and allow the crop to be planted anyway. Not only does this ignore the constitutional idea of separation of powers, but it also lets genetically modified crops take hold across this country, even when a judge finds it violates the law—once again, agribusiness multinational corporations putting farmers as serfs. It’s a dangerous precedent. Mr. President, it will paralyze the USDA, putting the department in the middle of a battle between Congress and the courts. And the ultimate loser will be our family farmers going about their business and feeding America in the right way.


..much more..

[Autumn]

1. It's all bullshit. Monsanto wrote it with Blunt, Mikulski added it to an important bill that

had to be signed and came up with a horse shit story as to why it was added and some how Testors amendment wasn't allowed a vote? Get the fucking picture with that? I sure do. I'm not outraged at Obama for signing it. He doesn't have a line item veto. Do I believe he was against it? I doubt it. He seems content with a lot of what he says he's against being put into place.

I'm fucking outraged that these people allow a company like Monsanto to write a piece of shit bill that benefits them and then blows smoke up my ass telling me they will fix it later. Something is seriously fucked up here when people fight something like this and these 2 bit politicians do this.

[ProSense]

2. Kick for

information some would rather ignore.

AMY GOODMAN: One of the biggest supporters of the provision was Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, Monsanto’s home state. Blunt reportedly crafted the bill’s language with Monsato’s help.
On the other side was the lone member of the Senate who’s also an active farmer, Democrat Jon Tester of Montana. Senator Tester tried to remove the rider when the budget bill made its way through Congress last month. Speaking on the Senate floor, Tester said the provision would undermine judicial oversight and hurt family farmers.

SEN. JON TESTER: The United States Congress is telling the Agricultural Department that even if a court tells you that you’ve failed to follow the right process and tells you to start over, you must disregard the court’s ruling and allow the crop to be planted anyway. Not only does this ignore the constitutional idea of separation of powers, but it also lets genetically modified crops take hold across this country, even when a judge finds it violates the law—once again, agribusiness multinational corporations putting farmers as serfs. It’s a dangerous precedent. Mr. President, it will paralyze the USDA, putting the department in the middle of a battle between Congress and the courts. And the ultimate loser will be our family farmers going about their business and feeding America in the right way.

Before you jump on Obama over the Monsanto amendment, take a minute and read this
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022580015

More information on the Monsanto rider. Also Democratic budget supports labeling.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022576338

The “Monsanto Protection Act”, and why you were duped
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022590655

[G_j]

3. I actually don't blame Obama for signing

I understand why he would not want to shut the government down. My problem is that he said nothing about it, raised no concern, did not help educate the public, and he has appointed Monsanto folks to important positions. This, after campaigning that foods should be labeled honestly.

[sabrina 1]

5. But that's how it seems to work. Word gets out that a Corporation is going to

try write some legislation that is bad for the country. Activists start working to try to stop it.

The media ignores it. The politicians, except for a few, ignore it. Most of the people have not been informed about what is going on, that is the job of their Representatives. Tester, eg, did try to get the word out. He wrote an amendment, the amendment did not even get a vote.

Time goes by, the silence is deafening. The bad legislation gets attached to a very important bill.

NOW we are at the wire. Too late, this bill MUST pass. Too bad about the attached bad legislation.

Not to worry, whiners, we know it's bad, we'll fix it later!

It's not the fault of the president. It's the nasty, sneaky Republicans' fault. Get mad at Republicans, they're bad, they sneak things into big bills without anyone knowing about it.

Voila, plausible deniability. Democrats are off the hook, Republicans are more than willing to be the bad guys.

[Autumn]

11. ^This is it^

that short paragraph is it.

[sabrina 1]

4. Wait!! Wasn't it a lie that this rider will stop the courts from dealing with

Monsanto if they are found to be doing something wrong? That's what I 've been told.

But Sen. Tester says that IS the case!! So he's lying, or he's not lying and the Monsanto defenders are lying? What is going on here, is Sen. Tester telling the truth after all?

The bill should never have reached the desk of this President, it should have been stopped nearly ONE YEAR ago before it ever got attached to the bill. Democrats could have stopped it by threatening to block it in the Senate, and the President I'm sure, would have backed them up, right?

But other than Tester who never even got a vote on his amendment, (Reid?? What was he doing when all this was in the early stages?) there was not even an attempt to fight Monsanto by Democrats. That is shameful. At least put up a fight!

[ProSense]

7. Wait, where did I make any such statement?

Post any link to me claiming that it's "a lie that this rider will stop the courts from dealing with"

You post nothing but straw man points.

[sabrina 1]

8. What are you defending then? This has been the defense of the pro-Monsanto

rider. That it really doesn't do anything to deregulate the system.

If you KNOW that it does this, then why are you defending the bill?

[ProSense]

9. Another

What are you defending then? This has been the defense of the pro-Monsanto

rider. That it really doesn't do anything to deregulate the system.

If you KNOW that it does this, then why are you defending the bill?

...straw man. Where the hell did I defend or claim to be "pro-Monsanto"?

[GeorgeGist]

13. Do you have a link to Obama's signing statement ...

where he spells out his objections to the Monsanto amendment?

Thanks.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

6. I am pro-GMO. My only concerns are about Monsanto's business practices. nt

[Babel_17]

10. Eventually, maybe, The Department of Agriculture

or another department of government will have the expert people in place who can advise regarding genetically modifying what we raise for food.

Being able to tell Monsanto, "No, don't plant that here." should be something of a last resort.

[littlewolf]

12. if Monsanto needs a law to protect them from lawsuits then

they know they are doing something wrong!