Growers for Biotechnology
Growers for Biotechnology is a North Dakota, US-based lobby group that promotes the use of GM crops in farming.[1]
Its chairman, Allan Skogen, has lobbied for the introduction of GM wheat (see (Allan Skogen).
In March 2009 Growers for Biotechnology picked up the tab for Monsanto's controversial private dinner with lawmakers in Montana - after which, the lawmakers decided to shelve a bill that would have required Monsanto and other companies to get permission from a farmer before taking a sample from their crops.[2]
Such sampling, often done by the company's representatives without first notifying farmers or asking their permission, is highly controversial. It has often been the prelude for lawsuits launched by Monsanto against farmers for alleged patent infringement regarding the company's patented GM seeds.[3]
People
As of July 2009:[4]
- Allan Skogen – chairman. Past president of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association.
- Bruce Freitag – vice-chairman
- Douglas R. Jones – producer-director
- Larry Diedrich – producer-director. Founding member of Foundation Earth.
- Terry Wanzek – producer-director. Former North Dakota State Senator and chaired the North Dakota Senate Agriculture Committee while in office. First vice-chairman of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association.
- Mike Waters – producer-director
- Jeff Topp – producer-director. County director to the North Dakota Wheat Commission and is on the Board of Directors of Dakota Grain.
- Doyle Lentz – producer-director
- Paul Aasness – producer-director. Former Minnesota State Representative 1978-1982, served 9 years as a director of the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council and two years on the board of US Wheat Associates.
- Art Brandli – producer-director. Serves on the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council and is the co-chair of the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative.
Notes
- ↑ Who We Are, Growers for Biotechnology website, accessed 17 July 2009
- ↑ Kahrin Deines, "Biotech seed bill tabled by Montana senators", Associated Press, 26 March 2009
- ↑ Press coverage of these cases has been widespread. The issues are summarised in the Sourcewatch article "Goliath and David: Monsanto's Legal Battles against Farmers", which provides links to other articles on the subject.
- ↑ [http://www.growersforwheatbiotechnology.org/html/info.cfm?ID=266 Who We Are, Growers for Biotechnology website, accessed 17 July 2009
