State clarifies role over GM crops
Natural Resource News Note:
The Oregon Department of Agriculture said this week that they are limited on their regulatory authority over GM farms. The discussion was featured in the Capitol Press this week.
For biotech crops that remain regulated by the federal government, the Oregon Department of Agriculture can designate “control areas” for field testing, said Katy Coba, the agency’s director.The agency has used this authority to protect grass seed farms in the Willamette Valley by establishing a control area in Central Oregon for genetically engineered bentgrass, she said.That crop, which can withstand glyphosate herbicides, was later found to have escaped during field trials.However, the ODA and the state’s Department of Justice have determined the situation changes when crops are deregulated by USDA.
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