Imagine judicial review for protecting consumer rights and the environment going up in a puff of smoke and biotech corporations like Monsanto having complete immunity to plant whatever they want, whenever they want -- without testing. This is exactly what a small amendment in the proposed new farm bill guarantees.

The fine print

H.R. 5973: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 is legislation that will form agricultural and food policy in the U.S. if passed. According to American Farmland Trust:

"The farm bill is a package of federal legislation enacted every five to seven years to set the general direction for America's farm and food policy. Congress enacted the first farm bill in the wake of the Great Depression with the dual goals of supporting America's farmers and ranchers and helping them to maintain their land."

H.R. 5973 (otherwise known as The Monsanto Protection Act) carries a small rider in section 733 that grants biotech companies free reign with little oversight. The legal team at the Center for Food Safety translates section 733 as a "dangerous assault on fundamental federal and judicial safeguards" and "would create a precedent-setting limitation on judicial review."...................read more)

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