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URGENT: Take Action Today to Stop the Monsanto Protection Act

Organic Consumers

Sept. 18, 2013

Dear Organic Consumer,

Congress could vote this week to extend the Monsanto Protection Act for another three months. Unless we stop them.

Please call or write your Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives today. Ask them to vote NO on the Monsanto Protection Act.

The Monsanto Protection Act is a rider that prevents the federal courts from enforcing injunctions on genetically modified seeds even if those seeds have been deemed unsafe. Earlier this year, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) slipped the Monsanto Protection Act into the Continuing Resolution, a bill to fund the U.S. government through September 30.

Now, Congress is about to vote on a new Continuing Resolution (H.J.RES.59) in order to fund the government for another three months. And despite public outrage and hundreds of thousands of signatures on petitions, House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) has slipped the Monsanto Protection Act into the new bill.

The Monsanto Protection Act is nothing but a gift to the biotech industry. It’s an affront to farmers and consumers. It gives the biotech industry a free pass to grow crops that have not been adequately safety tested. It also threatens farmers who potentially could be shut off from markets abroad when their non-GMO crops are contaminated.

To call your representative

We need every representative to hear from us today. You can find your representative’s phone number here, and call the number provided, or call the general number: (202) 224-312. You can say:

"I am very opposed to extending the Monsanto Protection Act for another 3 months and I want my representative to vote 'No!' I understand Congress needs to pass a bill to fund the government, but this shouldn't involve special favors for big business. The Monsanto Protection Act is wrong. Genetically engineered food should be safety tested before they are on the market. Even the American Medical Association supports mandatory pre-market safety testing.

But, right now, U.S. law only requires a review of whether new GMOs might pose a 'plant pest risk.' This doesn't address human health. But it's still important, especially because genetic contamination can seriously harm organic and non-GMO farmers, especially farmers with markets abroad. We've seen this recently in Oregon, and now Washington, with the contamination of wheat and alfalfa by unapproved GMO seeds.

The Monsanto Protect Act takes away the small amount of regulation we do have for GMOs. The Monsanto Protection Act prevents the federal courts from reviewing U.S. Department of Agriculture approvals of new GMOs. Even if the USDA fails to follow the law and approves a new GMO illegally, the Monsanto Protection Act says that the potentially dangerous new GMO must be released into the environment anyway.

Please vote NO on the Continuing Resolution unless the Monsanto Protection Act is removed."

To write your representative, click here.

Thank you for taking this important action today!

-Alexis, Melinda and the rest of the OCA Team

Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

ronniecummins@organicconsumers.org

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