'GE' crop bill of huge import (organic farms, Maine)

[jpak]

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/4964179.html

Spencer Aitel says his livelihood is protected like never before, but he still feels disappointed and nervous.

Legislators last week revamped rules governing the use of genetically engineered crops, limiting organic farmers' exposure to lawsuits and forcing the state to develop best practices for growing the so-called "GE" crops.

But as important as those changes are for Aitel and other organic farmers, who hoped the law would require GE seed producers to report sales in the state, there is still a lot of work to be done.

"It's a big step forward but it's not as much of a step as it should be," said Aitel of Two Loons Farm, an organic dairy farm in South China. "In general, what we're looking for is better protection."

Maine's debate over the use of genetically engineered crops, which are modified to resist pests, has spiked in recent months.

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[GliderGuider]

1. For CDN DUers: Bill C-517: Mandatory labelling of GE food: Your turn to speak out!

Apologies for highjacking your post.
Please consider this a K&R in addition to showing that the organic farming community is in solidarity across the world.

Bill C-517: Mandatory labelling of GE food:
Your turn to speak out!

By the luck of the Parliamentary draw, a private member's bill supporting mandatory labelling of GE food in Canada was randomly selected for debate in the House of Commons in April.

Bill C-517, presented by a Bloc Québécois MP, was debated during a second reading on April 3, 2008 . A second hour of parliamentary debate may take place in as early as two weeks, according to the House of Commons calendar. Following this second debate, the House will be called on to vote on Bill C-517 on mandatory GE labelling in Canada.
It is critical that we be able to count on a majority of MPs to vote in favour of Bill C-517.

We have a reasonable chance of winning this vote, but we must get the word out now. Not only will mandatory labelling of GE foods provide you with the information you have a right to, it will also pave the way for a gradual withdrawal of GE foods from the food chain. This will also reduce the dissemination of GE seeds in the environment.

If it is adopted in its second reading, Bill C-517 will be studied by a parliamentary committee and then returned for a third reading in the House of Commons followed by a final vote by Canada's 301 MPs.

In the meantime, there is nothing preventing Canadian provinces, particularly British Columbia, from moving forward and adopting their own laws on mandatory labelling of GE food.

What You Can Do
It is important that federal MPs vote in favour of Bill C-517 on the second reading. The stakes are high but this time, the bill has a very good chance of becoming law. You have the power to persuade our federal MPs to support this bill and to choose us instead of Monsanto!
5 Easy Steps
1 Message
7 Minutes

Greenpeace Canada - 250 Dundas West, Suite 605, Toronto (Ontario) M5T 2Z5
[phone] or 1-800-320-7183