Oregon Legislature says 'no' to GMO-free zones

Two bills that would have let Oregon communities ban genetically modified or engineered crops have died in committee.

It’s the third time environmental and farm groups have tried and failed to pass the legislation, which they say is needed to prevent GE crops from contaminating organic and conventional crops.

“It’s a pretty big disappointment,” said Amy Van Saun, legal fellow at the Center for Food Safety’s Portland office. “There were a lot of people that came from all over the state to speak in support of it.”

The fight began in 2013, when the Legislature passed a bill banning local governments from regulating crops or seeds. It exempted Jackson County, which already had a bill to ban GE crops on the ballot.

At the time, then-Gov. John Kitzhaber promised a state-level solution to the problem of GE crops contaminating conventional and organic crops. And, he said the Oregon Department of Agriculture already had authority to take action on the issue.

But neither of those things has happened, said Ivan Maluski, policy director at Friends of Family Farmers.

“They’ve created this policy vacuum,” Maluski said. “We need to have something in place to better protect farmers.”

Opponents say farmers should be able to voluntarily work together to time plantings and avoid conflicts. And they object to a patchwork of regulations that could affect one farmer growing in several counties.

“Currently, Oregon law ensures that all growers in Oregon operate on a level playing field, regardless of what county they live in,” Scott Dahlman, policy director for Oregonians for Food and Shelter, said Wednesday during a hearing on Senate Bill 1037.

That bill, as well as House Bill 2469, would have again allowed local jurisdictions to ban GE crops, and would have allowed a ban approved by Josephine County voters in 2014 to take effect.

Lawmakers still are considering another bill that would let farmers sue Monsanto, Scotts Miracle-Gro and other companies that hold patents on genetically engineered seeds if crops grown from those seeds contaminate traditional or organic crops.

House Bill 2739 would allow landowners to seek three times actual economic damages if GE organisms are present on their land without permission.

It is scheduled for a work session in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/Tracy_Loew

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