Thu Apr 5, 2012, 09:55 AM

IDemo (12,302 posts)

Monsanto Threatens to Sue Vermont if Legislators Pass a Bill Requiring GMO Food to Be Labeled

Source: AlterNet

The world’s most hated corporation is at it again, this time in Vermont.

Despite overwhelming public support and support from a clear majority of Vermont’s Agriculture Committee, Vermont legislators are dragging their feet on a proposed GMO labeling bill. Why? Because Monsanto has threatened to sue the state if the bill passes.

The popular legislative bill requiring mandatory labels on genetically engineered food (H-722) is languishing in the Vermont House Agriculture Committee, with only four weeks left until the legislature adjourns for the year. Despite thousands of emails and calls from constituents who overwhelmingly support mandatory labeling, despite the fact that a majority (6 to 5) of Agriculture Committee members support passage of the measure, Vermont legislators are holding up the labeling bill and refusing to take a vote.

Instead, they’re calling for more public hearings on April 12, in the apparent hope that they can run out the clock until the legislative session ends in early May.

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/story/154855/monsanto_threatens_to_sue_vermont_if_legislators_pass_a_bill_requiring_gmo_food_to_be_labeled?akid=8530.226594.9A43ZT&rd=1&t=21

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41 replies	Author	Time	Post
Monsanto Threatens to Sue Vermont if Legislators Pass a Bill Requiring GMO Food to Be Labeled (Original post)	IDemo	Apr 2012	OP
On what grounds?	KansDem	Apr 2012	#1
Sorry Monsanto, I've switched to organic milk	Marrah_G	Apr 2012	#4
IMO we are getting ever closer to the dictatorship of the oligarchs	rhett o rick	Apr 2012	#8
Wouln't a 'right to remain silent' already indicate the 'right to NOT remain silent'?	cyberpj	Apr 2012	#10
Oakhurst milk tastes better!	Mopar151	Apr 2012	#12
Many Federal Government ties to Monsanto- need to let them know we don't approve.	crunch60	Apr 2012	#27
And Tom Vilsack	Dont call me Shirley	Apr 2012	#34
Let them sue	Marrah_G	Apr 2012	#2
Agree...let them sue and then in court, in discovery and depositions, let it all come out about the	Pachamama	Apr 2012	#7
If the media gives it good coverage.	glinda	Apr 2012	#11
It would be a P.R. nightmare for them.	randome	Apr 2012	#21
This problem of corporate intimidation	sulphurdunn	Apr 2012	#3
I HATE Monsanto...in my field and I would NEVER work there!	Moostache	Apr 2012	#5
This could be a good thing. Making the issue very clear and	enough	Apr 2012	#6
We need food to be labelled if it is GMO	Rosa Luxemburg	Apr 2012	#9
Monsanto can go Cheney itself.	marmar	Apr 2012	#13
Vermont has some serious food standards	Mopar151	Apr 2012	#14
I was wondering.. and Bernie Sanders, they have him..	Voice for Peace	Apr 2012	#25
We need tort reform	abelenkpe	Apr 2012	#15
We need tort reform that says "no cap on corporate liability - pay what it takes to make it right"	saras	Apr 2012	#35
Go ahead, corporate citizen. Vermont is itching to make an example of Citizens United fiasco.	anti-alec	Apr 2012	#16
Bring it fuckers!	lonestarnot	Apr 2012	#17
+10000000000000	stockholmer	Apr 2012	#28
Are they going to sue Poland too?	wcollar	Apr 2012	#18
France Bans Genetically Modified Corn	lovuian	Apr 2012	#24
US to Start ‘Trade Wars’ with Nations Opposed to Monsanto, GMO Crops	IDemo	Apr 2012	#39
K&R (n/t)	a2liberal	Apr 2012	#19
Didn't a law pass that required irradiated food to be labeled? I forget.	cyberpj	Apr 2012	#20
And this is why they are trying buy the Presidency and the SCOTUS.	Smilo	Apr 2012	#22
What are they afraid of ...Be poud of your GMO crap	lovuian	Apr 2012	#23
Really, what do they have to be afraid of	Mz Pip	Apr 2012	#30
"the apparent hope that they can run out the clock until the legislative session ends in early May"	wordpix	Apr 2012	#26
Take away corporate personhood,	Trillo	Apr 2012	#29
Thanks for the link.	truedelphi	Apr 2012	#37
K&R!	countryjake	Apr 2012	#31
Corporations are people!! Selfish, greedy, immature, me-first screw-everybody-else people.	gtar100	Apr 2012	#32
It's past time for this showdown.....	midnight	Apr 2012	#33
The bastards are getting richer destroying the whole f planet nt	Sarah Ibarruri	Apr 2012	#36
Anyone still think corporations aren't in charge?	CanonRay	Apr 2012	#38
Notice the absence of conversation about if GMO's should even be legal or not.	harun	Apr 2012	#40
oh, I think we'll get it	cali	Apr 2012	#41

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Thu Apr 5, 2012, 10:10 AM

KansDem (24,325 posts)

1. On what grounds?

Monsanto has used lawsuits or threats of lawsuits for 20 years to force unlabeled genetically engineered foods on the public, and to intimidate farmers into buying their genetically engineered seeds and hormones. When Vermont became the first state in the nation in 1994 to require mandatory labels on milk and dairy products derived from cows injected with the controversial genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone, Monsanto’s minions sued in Federal Court and won on a judge’s decision that dairy corporations have the first amendment “right” to remain silent on whether or not they are injecting their cows with rBGH - even though rBGH has been linked to severe health damage in cows and increased cancer risk for humans, and is banned in much of the industrialized world, including Europe and Canada.

They have a "right to remain silent" regarding what they're putting in the food we eat?

Reminds me of this story from 2003:

Monsanto v. Oakhurst Dairy
Does Monsanto Corporation Have the Right to Keep You from Knowing the Contents of Your Food?

excerpt

Some farmers say that Posilac, also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin, only adds to an already glutted milk supply, which drives down the price paid to farmers. But Monsanto says the drug can get farmers out of a slump by helping them produce more milk.

"Producing more milk efficiently allows dairy farmers to make more money," said Jennifer Garrett, technical services director for Monsanto's dairy business. "The farms with the highest-producing cows are those that are making the most money. Posilac is a product that allows them to do that."

Many dairy farmers say, however, that not using the hormone is one way they can get a competitive edge. Some milk distributors pay a premium for milk from cows not treated with rBST. Plus, even though studies show rBST is safe for humans, increasing numbers of consumers are drawn to "all-natural" products.

Farmers who don't use rBST want to advertise that fact on their product labels. But Monsanto officials say labels like "No rBSTv" or "rBST-free" are misleading, unfair and deceptive. The company has recently sued one dairy for its labels.

Oakhurst Dairy in Maine labels its milk: "Our farmer's pledge: no artificial hormones." Monsanto's lawsuit says the label implies Oakhurst's milk is somehow better than milk from cows treated with rBST, and that unfairly harms Monsanto's business.

http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_speech/monsanto_oakhurst_wired.html

Monsanto Threatens to Sue Vermont if Legislators Pass a Bill Requiring GMO Food to Be Labeled

1. On what grounds?

4. Sorry Monsanto, I've switched to organic milk

8. IMO we are getting ever closer to the dictatorship of the oligarchs

10. Wouln't a 'right to remain silent' already indicate the 'right to NOT remain silent'?

12. Oakhurst milk tastes better!

27. Many Federal Government ties to Monsanto- need to let them know we don't approve.

34. And Tom Vilsack

2. Let them sue

7. Agree...let them sue and then in court, in discovery and depositions, let it all come out about the

11. If the media gives it good coverage.

21. It would be a P.R. nightmare for them.

3. This problem of corporate intimidation

5. I HATE Monsanto...in my field and I would NEVER work there!

6. This could be a good thing. Making the issue very clear and

9. We need food to be labelled if it is GMO

13. Monsanto can go Cheney itself.

14. Vermont has some serious food standards

25. I was wondering.. and Bernie Sanders, they have him..

15. We need tort reform

35. We need tort reform that says "no cap on corporate liability - pay what it takes to make it right"

16. Go ahead, corporate citizen. Vermont is itching to make an example of Citizens United fiasco.

17. Bring it fuckers!

28. +10000000000000

18. Are they going to sue Poland too?

24. France Bans Genetically Modified Corn

39. US to Start ‘Trade Wars’ with Nations Opposed to Monsanto, GMO Crops

19. K&R (n/t)

20. Didn't a law pass that required irradiated food to be labeled? I forget.

22. And this is why they are trying buy the Presidency and the SCOTUS.

23. What are they afraid of ...Be poud of your GMO crap

30. Really, what do they have to be afraid of

26. "the apparent hope that they can run out the clock until the legislative session ends in early May"

29. Take away corporate personhood,

37. Thanks for the link.

31. K&R!

32. Corporations *are* people!! Selfish, greedy, immature, me-first screw-everybody-else people.

33. It's past time for this showdown.....

36. The bastards are getting richer destroying the whole f planet nt

38. Anyone still think corporations aren't in charge?

40. Notice the absence of conversation about if GMO's should even be legal or not.

41. oh, I think we'll get it

32. Corporations are people!! Selfish, greedy, immature, me-first screw-everybody-else people.