The USDA is hosting a Stakeholder Workshop on Coexistence on March 12th and 13th for a select group of folks they have identified as stakeholders, with an agenda that is very slanted to benefit the chemical companies, although they are responding to criticism about their choice of stakeholders by inviting producers a week before the event. This is one of the most important issues of the day for all, not just organic farmers, that do not want their crops contaminated by genetically engineered genes. It is common sense and established legal practice that if your land, livestock or crops are contaminated by another entity, then that entity bears responsibility for paying for any damage – if your neighbor’s bull jumps the fence and impregnates your cows, the neighbor is responsible for any damage or financial hardship. GE crops are produced under license so the patent holder is responsible for any financial hardship, not your neighbor who is using it, since he/she is prevented from owning that seed by the patent holder. USDA has suggested that farmers having crop insurance may be a method to compensate for lost income from contamination, but it would be a difficult and probably expensive policy to underwrite and not appropriate for the situation. Chemical companies that hold the patent should be the ones that take out insurance to cover contamination caused by their product. It will be interesting to see what emerges from the workshop and whether any recommendations recognize the reality of the responsibility.
Webcast, as well as audio call-in, information is as follows:
DAY 1 - March 12, 2015 @ 8:30 a.m. ET
For Webcast Link,
Click Here
Dial-in: 1-888-621-9649 or 1-617-231-2734
Event ID: 419052
DAY 2 – March 13, 2015@8:30 a.m. ET
For Webcast Link,
Click Here
Dial-in: 1-888-621-9649 or 1-617-231-2734
Event ID: 419053
For dial-in participants, you may join the teleconference 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start. If you need technical support please call AT&T Connect Support at 1-888-796-6118.
Posted: to Policy in the News on Tue, Feb 10, 2015
Updated: Mon, Nov 19, 2018
