The Monsanto Protection Act should worry every American.

We’ve seen similar scenarios in the past, events in which the massive financial power of multi-national corporations is able to buy out legislators who were elected to ‘represent’ voters. But now, Monsanto has set the bar even higher. Instead of just getting a few kickbacks or avoiding USDA regulation, Monsanto lobbyists have gone as far as to generate legislative inclusions into a new bill that puts Monsanto above the federal government.

It’s called the Monsanto Protection Act among activists and concerned citizens who have been following the developments on the issue, and it consists of a legislative ‘rider’ inside (Farmer Assurance Provision, Sec. 735) a majority-wise unrelated Senate Continuing Resolution spending bill. You may already be aware of what this rider consists of, but in case not you will likely be blown away by the tenacity of Monsanto lobbyist goons.

If this rider passes with the bill, which could be as early as this week, Monsanto would have complete immunity from federal courts when it comes to their ability to act against any new Monsanto GMO crops that are suspected to be endangering the public or the environment (or considered to be planted illegally by the USDA). We’re talking about courts that literally can do nothing to Monsanto if it’s found that their newest creation may be promoting cancer, for example. Whether it’s a GMO banana or an apple, Monsanto could continue planting the food abomination all it wants under court review.

Food Democracy Now has launched a petition on the subject, explaining:

“The Monsanto Protection Act would strip judges of their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new untested genetically engineered crops.”

What really enraged Monsanto was the incident back in 2010, when a federal judge actually revoked Monsanto’s approval to plant GMO sugar beets due to environmental concerns. This is exactly what Monsanto intends to stop, literally becoming more powerful than federal courts in their conquest to monopolize the entire food chain.

Let’s also not forget that Monsanto has so many ties inside the US government that it has managed to slip into a very comfortable position. Former Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto, Michael Taylor ultimately became a major head the FDA. Before that, Taylor conveniently worked specifically on Monsanto’s “food and drug law” practices. Specifically in regards to Monsanto’s cloned rBGH. But remember, this was before Monsanto decided to go for a more ‘blatant’ route.

Now, instead of just operating in the shadows, Monsanto is pushing a much bolder move with the Monsanto Protection Act. It not only sets a troubling precedent for Monsanto, but also for other bloated multi-national corporations that want to obtain higher authority and immunity from US courts.
http://naturalsociety.com/monsanto-protection-act-corporations-power-us-government/

Center for Food Safety denounces dangerous “biotech” earmark in senate-passed spending bill:

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) condemns the inclusion of a dangerous corporate earmark, the “biotech rider,” in the Senate-crafted Continuing Resolution (CR), which passed today on the House floor.  The rider undermines the federal courts’ ability to safeguard farmers and the environment from potentially hazardous genetically engineered (GE) crops.  Moreover, the rider represents an unprecedented attack on U.S. judicial review of agency actions and is a major violation of the separation of powers, an essential element of U.S. constitutional governance and law.

While there are no definite fingerprints for whoever is responsible for the rider, the earmark was allowed under the direction of Senator Barbara Mikulski, the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee (D-MD).  Congress has held no hearings on this controversial biotech rider and many Democrats in the Committee were unaware of its presence in the CR.   Additionally, Mikulski and the Senate Appropriations Committee failed to bring this rider in front of the Agriculture or Judiciary Committees, disregarding their expertise and jurisdiction and in blatant violation of common practice.

“In this hidden backroom deal, Senator Mikulski turned her back on consumer, environmental, and farmer protection in favor of corporate welfare for biotech companies such as Monsanto,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety.  “This abuse of power is not the kind of leadership the public has come to expect from Senator Mikulski or the Democrat Majority in the Senate.”

Once the bill takes effect on March 28th, the rider will only be in effect for the life of the 6 month CR.  CFS intends to launch a major campaign to make sure this deception is not included in the next round of appropriations bills.  CFS and its allies are confident that the food movement will ensure that this abusive rider is absent from any future legislation.

CFS applauds Senator Tester and his co-sponsors Senators Boxer, Gillibrand, Leahy, Begich and Blumenthal for their efforts to pass an amendment stripping the biotech rider and other corporate “pork” earmarks from the CR.  Despite receiving calls and emails from tens of thousands of citizens opposing the industry-driven rider and supporting the amendment to strike it, the amendment was ultimately not successful.  CFS calls on all Senators to join with Senator Tester and his co-sponsors to ensure that this egregious form of corporate welfare is not included in any future Appropriation bills.

Over 100 of the nation’s top organizations and businesses have opposed Sec. 735, including the National Farmers Union, American Civil Liberties Union, Sierra Club, Environmental Working Group, Stonyfield Farm, Nature’s Path, Consumers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Public Citizen and dozens more.
http://truefoodnow.org/2013/03/20/the-center-for-food-safety-denounces-dangerous-biotech-earmark-in-senate-passed-spending-bill/