3:14 PM - Nov 21, 2000 EST
11/21 Legal issues of biotech questioned

 Selected by Pro Farmer Editors

 PR Newswire
 November 21, 2000

WASHINGTON -- Family farm groups participating in the Farmer-to-Farmer
Campaign on Genetic Engineering are calling on their state Attorneys
General, who are on the front line of the GE debate, to fill a policy vacuum 
caused by national inaction. Farmers point to StarLink as a prime example of how our
current regulatory segregation and marketing systems are not able to deal with 
the complex issues that genetic engineering pose.

"While USDA has aggressively promoted biotechnology in agriculture,
they have done virtually nothing to address farmer liability issues or to
ensure that farmers are adequately protected under current industry contracts"
said Bill Christison, a Missouri farmer and president of the National Family Farm
Coalition. 

"Farmers are rapidly losing valuable export markets because of the
challenges imposed on farmers by the entire biotech industry." Speaking for the
Farmer to Farmer Campaign, Christison said Attorneys General need to move beyond
responding to crises such as the Starlink debacle and initiate long-term actions 
to create farmer protection for liability.

Participating grassroots organizations in eight key farm states are
calling on their Attorneys General to promote possible legislation to place 
liability on companies that develop and patent genetically engineered seeds. 
Farmers will also ask the Attorneys General to investigate the marketing of 
genetically engineered seeds and the rapid corporate concentration of seed 
companies and suppliers.

"The full extent of farmers' legal liability resulting from growing
and marketing GMO crops is unclear. What is clear is that farmers may face
substantial liability for violations of GMO contracts, contamination of 
neighbors' crops, or infringement of the companies' patents," said Lynn Hayes, 
an attorney with the Farmers Legal Action Group. "Before planting GMO crops 
farmers should fully understand their responsibilities and evaluate the risks 
of potential liability."

Organizations working in collaboration on the Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign
are asking state Attorneys General to:

* Issue Attorneys General Opinions on the extent to which farmers
and/or seed companies are liable for damages caused by GMO contamination of non-GMO
crops; failure to segregate GMO crops; GMO contract violations; and
patent, licensing, and registration infringements.

* To support legislation that places liability on companies who
develop and manufacture GMO seeds for all economic and environmental damages
caused by these products.

 * To investigate GMO marketing practices in their states to determine
whether farmers are properly advised of the liability risks and their
responsibilities associated with growing GMO crops, and the adequacy of segregation
procedures at all stages of the marketing chain to ensure compliance with
requirements for the various domestic and export markets.

* To participate in meetings with farmers to inform them of the
legal issues related to production and marketing of GMO crops.

* To investigate whether companies developing, manufacturing, and
marketing GMOs are violating antitrust laws and issue a legal analysis       
of the impacts of concentration.

Farm groups participating in this multi-state strategy are members of
the Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture, a
collaborative effort among family farm organizations to promote the farmer
perspective on genetic engineering. Today marks the one-year anniversary of 
the release of the Farmer's Declaration on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. 
For the past year, farm groups have been expanding the farmer voice on genetic 
engineering.

CONTACT: Ariane Kissam, 202-543-5675 or Mark Smith, 617-354-2922, both
of the Farmer to Farmer Campaign on Genetic Engineering