Dive Brief:
- A GMO bill that easily passed through the Oregon House is now facing opposition from groups that once supported it. The bill would mandate mediation for any conflicts over GMO farming.
- At first, some believed that the mediation would serve farmers, but now many of those previous supporters contend that farmers, particularly of smaller farms, could be financially burdened by the requirement.
- Also in Oregon, a large majority of voters in Benton County have turned down a proposal that would ban the planting of GMO crops.
Dive Insight:
GMOs continue to be a topic of debate in the industry, so much so that a prominent company in the space was the target of worldwide protests.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters from over 400 cities in more than 40 countries rallied against Monsanto Co. in the third annual March Against Monsanto.
Protesters' main targets were Monsanto's genetically modified seeds and the herbicide Roundup, which they say are toxic to people, the water supply, and the environment. According to The Guardian, "Demonstrators demanded a 10-year moratorium on the planting of Monsanto seeds so independent research can be conducted' into the effects of the technology."