[Editor’s note: The following is an editorial by Capital Press, an independent news website that covers the agriculture industry in and around California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.]
Biotech critics are calling on Oregon lawmakers to overturn a prohibition against local government restrictions on genetically engineered crops because the state has not enacted regulations.
Such regulation that is required should come from the state. Voters with little first-hand agriculture experience can be easily swayed by emotional arguments short on facts and long on fear mongering.
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Beyond ideological resistance to GMOs, the practical concern for organic growers and some conventional farmers is a fear that their crops will be contaminated through cross-pollination.
That’s a reasonable fear, as accidental contamination of a farmer’s organic crops would render them unsellable in the organic market. But there is scant evidence that anyone in Oregon has yet been so harmed.
Related on the SLP
Viewpoint: Why Washington should sharply increase funding for intensive agricultural to address climate change, spur sustainability
Deadly ‘faith healing’ exemption: Idaho remains the only state shielding parents from prosecution for replacing medical care with prayer or spirits—even if their child dies
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We are not arguing against a reasonable regulatory scheme that does not favor one type of crop or farming practice over another.
We are against 36 separate regulatory schemes, particularly those that impose outright bans.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Pre-emption of local GMO regulations must remain
