Keeping CA GE Lawsuit Free!

August 30, 2008 - A landmark piece of legislation protecting California's farmers from crippling lawsuits was passed through both legislative houses this week in an end-of-session flurry. The bill, AB 541, is now headed to the Governor's desk for his signature. AB 541 is the first bill passed by the California legislature that brings much-needed regulation to genetically engineered (GE) crops. AB 541 enacts protections against lawsuits brought against California farmers who have not been able to prevent the inevitable - the drift of GE pollen or seed onto their land and the subsequent contamination of their non-GE crops. Currently, farmers with crops that become contaminated by patented seeds or pollen have been the target of harassing lawsuits brought by biotech patent holders, particularly Monsanto. The bill also establishes a mandatory crop sampling protocol to prevent biotech companies that are investigating alleged violations from sampling crops without the explicit permission of farmers. A copy of the bill can be downloaded at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov