Congress Passes Controversial ‘Monsanto Protection Act’

Mar 27, 2013

Farm Appropriations Bill Includes a Provision that Protects GMO Companies from Litigation

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a last-minute amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill (HR933) – a provision that would protect genetically modified seeds (GMOs) from litigation over health risks. It is known as the Senate’s continuing resolution bill, which provides short-term funding to the federal government until the end of the fiscal year. The vote was 318 to 109 in favour of passing the Bill.

Opponents have dubbed it the “Monsanto Protection Act,” since the biotech rider would strip the federal courts authority to stop GMO seed crops from being grown – even if there is consumer health concerns.

The bill has a six-month expiration life and it remains unknown if this provision will be short-lived or if it will be extended.

Opponents to the bill, led by the group Food Democracy Now, have launched a campaign calling on President Barack Obama to veto the Continuing Resolution spending bill, but their request will not likely succeed, since the bill does include a significant amount of government funding.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.