GMO bill killed by governor

NEAL GOSWAMI, Staff Writer
Bennington Banner
Wednesday, May 17

BENNINGTON - Gov. James Douglas vetoed a bill on Monday that was designed to
protect organic farmers from being sued when patented genetically modified
seeds accidentally spread onto their property.
There have been a number of lawsuits in the past few years where corporations
have sued farmers for growing patented genetically modified seeds without
permission, even if the seeds landed on the farmer's property by an act of
nature. Some also fear that the users of genetically modified seeds would be
sued by organic farmers, whose crops became tainted by the altered product.

The bill was a divisive issue throughout the state, pitting some farmers
against others. Some farmers are opposed to seeds that are scientifically
altered to discourage insects and slow disease from destroying crops, whereas
others claim that such seeds are necessary to keep food prices affordable.

Local legislators, along with farmers from all over the state, were
disappointed by the governor's veto.

Rep. William Botzow, D-Pownal/Woodford, said the governor had a chance to show
his leadership on an important issue in Vermont.

"I'm disappointed. I had hoped that he would show leadership on what I thought
was a good compromise," said Botzow. "Very few people, maybe a handful, have
been willing to get in the middle and find a solution. I thought we had done
that."

Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington/Wilmington, agreed that the bill was a good
compromise.

"I thought it addressed a lot of the concerns of both groups of farmers, the
organic and the traditional," said Sears.

Amy Schollenberger of Rural Vermont, a nonprofit farm advocacy group, said the
bill would have been a huge benefit to Vermont.

"The bill would have protected all farmers. It would have protected farmers
who choose to use genetically modified seeds by taking them out of the line of
fire," she said.

Sears said that the governor may have opposed the bill because of heavy
pressure from the seed industry.

"The main objective appears to be that the manufacturers just don't like it,
quite frankly. They don't like the idea of being liable," said Sears.

Botzow said he wasn't sure of the governor's reason for vetoing the bill but
said concerns over seed companies not wanting to provide seeds within the
state didn't make sense.

"I've read a little in the press about the companies being afraid to sell
their seeds here. I doubt that. The companies can still be sued. It's not like
they are exempt," said Botzow.

Margaret Laggis, a lobbyist for the biotechnology industry, who opposed the
bill, said her clients had not determined whether they would change their seed
sales if the bill passed.

"All the companies were really looking at the issue of selling in that
climate," she said.

Schollenberger said that Rural Vermont organized a gathering of Vermont
farmers and others who were opposed to the governor's veto in Fairfield, where
Douglas held a veto ceremony.

"We had over 70 farmers from 10 counties, including Bennington county, who
gathered to respond to the governor's veto," she said.

Sears thought the ceremony surrounding the veto was unusual.

"I don't ever remember a Vermont governor holding a ceremony to veto a bill.
It's highly unusual. It just speaks to me about how highly politicized this
has become," he said. "Sometimes issues in Montpelier get played up to be
something they're not. I think this one was overly dramatized. It took on a
life of its own."

Sears said there would be a legislative session on June 1 to decide whether
legislators will overturn the governor's veto but prospects look bleak.

"It will be up to the leadership, (Gaye) Symington and (Peter) Welch, to vote
on it. I'm not sure the votes are there right now, based on the votes it got
when we voted on the compromise bill," said Sears.

Douglas said discussion on the use of genetically engineered seeds in Vermont
would continue. He has asked the agriculture secretary to bring both
conventional and organic farmers together to try to resolve the issues related
to the seeds' use.

"I look forward to working with the farming community in continuing this
discussion," he said.

The AP contributed to this report.