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Please take action NOW to stop Senate Bill 777—a bill
that would strip cities, counties, and townships of their ability to regulate
seeds, including genetically engineered seeds. Because of your opposition so far, this bill was stalled in
committee since November. However, the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism
Committee voted on the bill last week and it will be voted on TOMORROW
(Thursday) on the Senate floor. Please contact your
Senator and urge them to oppose this bill. Ask them to
instead create a workgroup to study this issue and recommend how the state
should address genetically engineered crops. Take
Action! Senators’ phone numbers are listed below, or visit
this link to find your Senator: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/FindYourSenator/michiganfys.asp Allen, Jason
(517)
373-2413 Barcia,
Jim
(517) 373-1777 Basham, Raymond E. (517) 373-7800 Birkholz, Patricia
L. (517) 373-3447 Bishop,
Michael
(517) 373-2417 Brater,
Liz
(517) 373-2406 Brown,
Cameron (517)
373-5932 Cassis, Cherry,
Deborah
(517) 373-1636 Clark-Coleman, Irma
(517) 373-0990 Clarke,
Hansen
(517) 373-7346 Cropsey, Alan
L. (517)
373-3760 Emerson, Robert L.
(517) 373-0142 Garcia,
Valde
(517) 373-2420 George, Thomas M. (517)
373-0793 Gilbert II,
Judson (517)
373-7708 Goschka,
Mike
(517) 373-1760 Hammerstrom, Hardiman,
Bill
(517) 373-1801 Jacobs, Gilda Z.
(517)
373-7888 Jelinek,
Ron
(517) 373-6960 Johnson,
Shirley (517)
373-2523 Kuipers, Leland, McManus, Michelle
(517) 373-1725 Olshove,
Dennis
(517) 373-8360 Patterson,
Bruce (517)
373-7350 Prusi,
Michael
(517) 373-7840 Sanborn,
Alan
(517) 373-7670 Schauer,
Mark
(517) 373-2426 Scott, Martha
G. (517)
373-7748 Sikkema, Kenneth R. (517) 373-0797 Stamas,
Tony
(517) 373-7946 Switalski,
Michael (517) 373-7315 Thomas III, Samuel Buzz(517) 373-7918 Toy, Laura M.
(517)
373-1707 VanWoerkom, Gerald (517) 373-1635 Whitmer,
Gretchen (517) 373-1734 Background: This fall, the Senate introduced SB 777,
which would strip the authority of cities, counties, and townships to regulate
seeds, including genetically engineered seeds. Now the bill will be voted on by
the full Senate tomorrow. Genetically engineered crops pose
risks to public health and the environment, including the risk of allergic
reactions, the creation of superweeds, and the contamination of neighboring
crops. Dozens of farmers,
residents, and environmental groups turned out to testify against SB 777 before
the Senate Committee this fall and winter. Further concerns are posed by
experimental crops, including “biopharmaceuticals”—food crops
genetically engineered to produce prescription drugs and industrial chemicals.
Examples include soybeans or corn genetically engineered to produce blood
clotting agents or contraceptives. There already have been more than 750 open
air field test sites of experimental crops in It is inappropriate to preempt the
ability for local governments to regulate GE crops when State and Federal
regulations are inadequate. Specifically: o
The Food and Drug Administration
does not require pre-market safety testing or labeling of genetically
engineered foods, and does not approve the safety of GE food. o
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
requires no specific safety tests for the approval of GE crops, leaving the
testing procedures to the industry it oversees. The National Academy of
Sciences criticized this process as often lacking scientific rigor. o
The Environmental Protection Agency
has few required safety tests specifically designed for GE crops, and has not
required the use of internationally accepted testing procedures to ensure that
new GE foods are not allergens. Genetically engineered crops pose
many legitimate concerns, and current regulations have not caught up to the new
complexities and risks of the technology. Local citizens and governments
deserve the right to determine how this technology is applied in their
communities and what is grown in their fields. Senate Bill 777 would take away
that right. Please contact your Senator ask her or him to oppose this bill. Kate Madigan Deputy Policy Director 119 Pere Marquette, 517-487-3606 x21 |