Hello fellow VTJPers Sorry this is so off topic. I am working for Rural VT this winter and we are trying to get the Farmer Protection Act passed, to hold corporations liable if their is contamination from genetically modified seeds. Please call your state reps in support of this bill. See below for more details.
Thanks! Enjoy the beautiful snow. S'ra INFORMATION ABOUT THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT The Vermont State Senate passed the Farmer Protection Act (S18) 26-1 in spring 2005. The bill does the following: ** Establishes strict liability, which states that manufacturers who own the patents on genetically engineered seeds are liable for any economic damages that occur in Vermont as a result of the use of the seeds ** States that seed contracts in Vermont are subject only to Vermont law and that disputes over seed contracts will be settled in Vermont In early January 2006, the House Judiciary Committee will recommend rewriting the entire bill through a strike-all amendment. This would not only remove the strict liability, which protects farmers, but also transform it into a consumer protection bill. The core issue is that farmers, who never actually own the genetically engineered seeds, are being forced to bear the full burden of liability for the consequences of their use. When the legislative session opens in the first week of January, a state representative will reintroduce the strict liability language to the bill with a floor amendment. This would ensure that manufacturers of these seeds, such as Monsanto, are held liable for any economic damage caused to farmers by contamination. Rural Vermont will only support a Farmer Protection Act that contains strict liability. Please call your representatives today and encourage them to support the STRICT LIABILITY amendment to the Farmer Protection Act. TAKE ACTION ON THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT! HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK to help us ramp up to the vote: 1. CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES and ask them: "Will you support strict liability when the Farmer Protection Act comes to the House Floor in January?" Strict liability means that the manufacturers of genetically engineered seeds will be liable for any economic damages that occur because of the use of those seeds in Vermont. THE FARMERS NEVER OWN THE SEEDS -- the manufacturers always retain ownership of the patented products, so they should bear the responsibility! You can find out who your representatives are and their phone numbers here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=H 2. COME TO THE STATEHOUSE! We want people to come to the statehouse the first week of January (Jan. 3-6, 8 am ? 4 pm) when the Farmer Protection Act will be presented to the house. We need as many people there as possible to ensure that the strict liability language is reintroduced into the Farmer Protection Act. We want people to wear red, so that the reps know everyone who is wearing red supports strict liability. If you have any time on any of these days, come on by. We also have housing available for people in Montpelier of needed. Just call or email S?ra (324-5962, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ) ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> AIDS in India: A "lurking bomb." Click and help stop AIDS now. http://us.click.yahoo.com/X6CDDD/lzNLAA/cUmLAA/MknplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VTJP/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
