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Oregon and GMOs: Public comment sought

Tracy Loew
Statesman Journal

A six-month, $125,000 task force effort to advise the legislature on issues surrounding genetically modified crops and food has completed its work, and the public is invited to comment.

Gov. John Kitzhaber promised to create the task force in an Oct. 1, 2013 letter to legislative leaders following a September special session, when a bill barring local government action against GMO crops and food was added to the "grand bargain" as a condition of its passage.

The task force met 11 times between April and October, and has completed a 33-page report.

It makes no recommendations, but lays out the issues and some of the perspectives around them.

The process was useful as a first step, said Michael Dembrow, chairman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee.

"I think that it could have been more useful if there had been some clear recommendations coming out of it," said Dembrow, D-Portland. "I wish there had been. But this is a difficult issue and people have strong feelings."

Co-existence emerged as the most critical issue – including questions of contamination of organic crops.

"My sense is that there's going to be more work on this issue of being good neighbors," Dembrow said. "I don't know what the answer is or even if there'll be specific legislation around it, but I'm sure at least there will be hearings on the subject that could very well lead to legislation."

The task force's co-conveners commended members for working together constructively.

"The task force accomplished its charge with civility and respect and built understanding and awareness that can serve the state in the future," co-conveners Jennifer Allen, director of the Institute for Sustainable Solutions and Portland State University and Dan Arp, dean of Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences said in a written statement.

tloew@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/SJWatchdog

About the meeting

The Governor's GE Task Force will hold its last meeting from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem.

The task force will take public comments on its draft report. Written comments also may be submitted at G.E.Agriculture@state.or.us by 5 p.m. Nov. 24.