Montana Senate Committee Shelves Biotech Bill Amid Industry Influence Accusations

A Montana Senate agriculture committee's decision to shelve a biotech bill has sparked controversy, following revelations that several committee members had attended a private dinner with Monsanto representatives at a Helena club. The bill aimed to establish sampling and testing standards for biotech companies to prevent patent infringement on farmers' crops. However, the committee's chairman, Donald Steinbeisser, stated that the dinner was merely to inform members of Monsanto's concerns, despite the company not providing public testimony.

Key Takeaways:

• The Montana Senate Agriculture Committee voted 63-0 to shelve a bill that would have created standards for biotech companies' sampling and testing of farmers' crops for patent infringement.
• Five out of nine committee members attended a private dinner with Monsanto representatives at a Helena club, sparking accusations of industry influence.
• The bill aimed to require Monsanto and other companies to obtain permission from farmers before taking a sample from their crops, with the option for the farmer or company to seek a state agriculture department oversight.
• Monsanto expressed its opposition to the bill privately at the dinner, despite not providing public testimony.
• Committee dinners prior to bill hearings are considered unusual in Montana, and veteran lawmakers and lobbyists described the event as "ethically sensitive."
• Opponents of the bill, including the Montana Farm Bureau and the Montana Agribusiness Association, argued that it would discourage biotech seed development and sales in the state.
• Committee member Ken Hansen stated, "I don't want to lose any kind of research, whether it's the big boys like Monsanto or anyone else, because we have serious, serious problems out there."

Statistics:

• 5 out of 9 committee members attended the private dinner with Monsanto representatives.
• 63-0 was the vote to shelve the biotech bill in the Montana Senate Agriculture Committee.
• Montana has over 10,000 farms listed in the 2020 Census of Agriculture.
• Biotech crops constitute a significant portion of Montana's agricultural production, with wheat being the top crop.

Sources:

• The Associated Press
• The Helena Independent Record
• Montana Farm Bureau
• Montana Agribusiness Association