Protect Our Seed - Pass SB 885!

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Action Alert: Save Our Seed - Pass SB 885!

Urge Your State Legislators to Vote 'Yes' on SB 885 to Protect Willamette Valley Seed Producers

The Oregon Legislature is days away from voting on SB 885, a bill to limit the production of canola inside the Willamette Valley to protect specialty seed and cover crop seed farmers.

SB 885 will maintain and extend an existing cap on acres of canola that are allowed to be grown inside the Willamette Valley Protected District, which has had long-standing restrictions on canola to prevent plant disease and cross-pollination issues with valuable seed crops. Current restrictions that limit canola in the Willamette Valley to no more than 500 acres per year expire in July 2019.

It is necessary to pass SB 885 and extend these restrictions because canola cross-pollinates with other brassica crops like kale and cabbage varieties grown for seed in the Willamette Valley and can also contaminate pure lots of many types of vegetable, cover crop, and clover seed, which renders them unsalable in national, international and local markets. Farmers and gardeners across the region and world depend on high quality seed grown in the Willamette Valley. SB 885 would maintain and extend the existing cap on acres of canola inside the Willamette Valley for another four years.

Further, unlike vegetable seed crops, a majority of canola is genetically engineered for herbicide resistance. This means canola creates extra contamination risks for both organic and conventional brassica seed crops, and if herbicide resistant canola cross-pollinate with weeds, it will create new invasive species problems.

Canola in the Willamette Valley poses risks to many Oregon farmers who grow specialty seed, cover crop seed, and fresh market vegetables. The risks from canola impact both organic and conventional farmers, and in turn jeopardizes rural economies, trade relationships, and long established agricultural industries that depend on high quality Willamette Valley seed. The threat to the thriving and multi-million-dollar specialty seed and growing organic agricultural trade is just not worth it.

Oregon’s lawmakers made the right decision in 2013 to cap canola at 500 acres per year and to make sure it could only be grown using industry established isolation distances to protect seed purity. SB 885 will maintain and extend the current, responsible restrictions on canola. It is a common-sense approach.

Please contact your State Legislators today to urge them to vote yes on SB 885!

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Oregon State Senate and House

Subject: Vote Yes on SB 885 - Protect Willamette Valley Seed Producers

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I am writing to urge you to vote 'yes' on SB 885 to protect the Willamette Valley's world renowned specialty and cover crop seed industries. This bill maintains and extends the current cap on acres of canola allowed inside the Willamette Valley Protected District, which has had long-standing restrictions on canola to prevent plant disease and cross-pollination issues with valuable seed crops.

Current restrictions on canola in the Willamette Valley expire next month. It is necessary to pass SB 885 and extend the current restrictions because canola cross-pollinates with other brassica crops like kale and cabbage varieties grown for seed in the Willamette Valley and can also contaminate pure lots of many types of vegetable, cover crop, and clover seed, which renders them unsalable in national, international and local markets. Farmers and gardeners across the region and world depend on high quality seed grown in the Willamette Valley. SB 885 would simply maintain and extend the existing limits on canola inside the Willamette Valley for another four years.

Further, unlike other seed crops, a majority of canola is genetically engineered for herbicide resistance, creating extra contamination risks for both organic and conventional brassica seed. Even more troubling, if herbicide resistant canola cross-pollinates with weeds or goes feral, it will create new invasive superweeds, which require ever more toxic chemicals to eradicate, likely at taxpayer expense.

Canola in the Willamette Valley poses risks to many Oregon farmers who grow specialty seed, cover crop seed, and fresh market vegetables. The risks from canola impact both organic and conventional farmers, and in turn jeopardizes rural economies, trade relationships, and long established agricultural industries that depend on high quality Willamette Valley seed. The threat to the thriving and multi-million-dollar specialty seed and growing organic agricultural trade is just not worth it.

Oregon’s lawmakers made the right decision in 2013 to cap canola at 500 acres per year and to make sure it could only be grown using industry established isolation distances to protect seed purity. SB 885 will maintain and extend the current, responsible restrictions on canola. It is a common-sense approach.

I urge you to vote yes on SB 885.

Thank you,

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