Legislation in Process
On Thursday, February 11, 2010, the NH House Environment and Agriculture Committee heard testimony on two bills that would affect the status quo of GMOs, and one bill on studying the possible effects of a moratorium on the use of toxic pesticides in NH. HB 1388 asked that if a farmer’s crop becomes contaminated with genetically engineered organisms, the farmer has the right to seek damages from the patent holder (some language in the bill will change to “patent holder,” as the original bill used the term “farmer,” which removed the responsibility from the manufacturer or patent holder, which was not our intention). HB 1172 asked that all seeds that contain genetically engineered material/organisms be labeled as such. Combined, these two pieces of legislation offered farmers and consumers the protection they need so that (1) if they choose not to grow genetically engineered crops, they can confidently purchase seed that has not been genetically engineered and (2) they will have the legal tools they need to protect themselves from the effects and consequences of cross-contamination. HB 1456 called for establishing a study committee to focus on protecting the health of our children from the overuse of pesticides and herbicides in NH.
Complete information on each of these bills is given in the linked pages below:
House Bill 1456: calling for a moratorium on the use of pesticides on public land.
House Bill 1172: requiring the labeling of GMO seeds.
House Bill 1388: making liable the patent holder should GMO pollen contaminate neighboring crops.
Thank you to all the NOFA-NH members and dedicated growers of real food for your pre-hearing preparation work and networking to get the word out about this opportunity to make history by creating a true GMO labeling bill, and by offering farmers a truly level playing field when it comes to seeking damages from the biotech industry for crop contamination. Thank you also to the organic lawn and landscape community for testifying and supporting the pesticide study bill. Thank you for making the time to leave home and work to participate in the legislative process and take a stand for a healthy state. Your actions supported the growing organic and traditional agriculture markets and our citizens' efforts to raise their own food free of GMOs, full of nutrients, flavor and sustainable genetics, and for replacing the use of toxic pesticides with healthy alternatives and a local ecological perspective on landscaping.
If you are interested in supporting NOFA-NH in continuing to work on GMO legislation or other relevant legislation, please consider joining our Policy Committee and/or making a donation to support NOFA-NH's work. Thank You!
