The biotech industry has quietly inserted a dangerous policy rider into the Agriculture Appropriations bill now being considered in Congress. Though wrapped in a "farmer-friendly" package, this "farmer assurance provision" is simply a biotech industry ploy to continue to plant GE crops even when a court of law has found they were approved illegally. The provision undermines USDA's oversight of GE crops, interferes with the U.S. judicial review process, and could be unconstitutional. It is also completely unnecessary and serves only to offer "assurance" to biotech companies like Monsanto, not farmers.


There is only a short period of time for Congress to resolve the Appropriations Bill before the end of the lame duck session. Please tell your Representative to support Representative DeFazio's Dear Colleague letter opposing the biotech rider and ask your Senators to urge Senate Appropriations Chairman Inouye to oppose the rider!


*You can read Section 733 of the bill here (PDF, page 86)