The following is an edited excerpt.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) on Monday vowed to repeal a measure that prevents federal courts from halting the sale and planting of genetically engineered crops.
The Farmer Assurance Provision, dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act” by critics, was inserted into a short-term funding bill passed by Congress in March. The biotech rider allows farmers to buy and plant genetically engineered seeds while the regulatory approval of the crop is being challenged in court.
“The Monsanto Protection Act is an outrageous example of a special interest loophole,” Merkley said in a statement. “This provision nullifies the actions of a court that is enforcing the law to protect farmers, the environment and public health. That is unacceptable.”
Read the original story in its entirety here: Oregon senator vows to repeal the “Monsanto Protection Act.”