House File 2438 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  KUHN


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to agricultural seeds that have been genetically
  2    modified, by providing for costs associated with making the
  3    genetic modifications and making a penalty applicable.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 6390YH 82
  6 da/nh/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 199.1, subsection 2, Code 2007, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    2.  "Agricultural seed" means grass, forage, cereal, oil,
  1  4 fiber, and any other kind of crop seed commonly recognized
  1  5 within this state as agricultural seed, lawn seed, vegetable
  1  6 seed, or seed mixtures.  Agricultural seed "Agricultural seed"
  1  7 includes such seed regardless of whether it has been
  1  8 genetically modified.  "Agricultural seed" may include any
  1  9 additional seed the secretary designates by rules.
  1 10    Sec. 2.  Section 199.1, Code 2007, is amended by adding the
  1 11 following new subsection:
  1 12    NEW SUBSECTION.  6A.  "Genetically modified" means to alter
  1 13 the genetic characteristics of a plant by modifying the
  1 14 deoxyribonucleic acid of the plant's seed in a manner other
  1 15 than by breeding or pollination.
  1 16    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  199.7A  AGRICULTURAL SEED OFFER ==
  1 17 DISCLOSURE.
  1 18    A person required to label a container of agricultural seed
  1 19 pursuant to section 199.3 shall not sell genetically modified
  1 20 agricultural seed in a container, unless the person segregates
  1 21 the per=container costs associated with making the genetic
  1 22 modifications and the per=container costs of the agricultural
  1 23 seed had it not been genetically modified.  The segregated
  1 24 costs shall be made available to a person who may purchase the
  1 25 genetically modified agricultural seed prior to the purchase.
  1 26 The person required to label the container may provide the
  1 27 segregated costs in a printed format or on their internet web
  1 28 site.
  1 29                           EXPLANATION
  1 30    This bill amends Code chapter 199, Iowa's seed law, which
  1 31 generally provides for labeling requirements.  The bill amends
  1 32 the Code chapter's definition of "agricultural seed" which
  1 33 includes grass, forage, cereal, oil, fiber, and any other kind
  1 34 of crop seed, lawn seed, vegetable seed, or seed mixture.  The
  1 35 bill provides that agricultural seed includes any such seed
  2  1 regardless of whether it has been genetically modified
  2  2 (changing its genetic characteristics in a manner other than
  2  3 breeding or pollination).
  2  4    The bill provides that a person required to label a
  2  5 container of agricultural seed cannot sell genetically
  2  6 modified agricultural seed in a container, unless the person
  2  7 segregates the per=container costs associated with making the
  2  8 genetic modifications and the per=container costs of the
  2  9 agricultural seed if it had not been genetically modified.
  2 10 The bill provides that the labeler must provide the segregated
  2 11 costs in a printed format or on their internet web site.
  2 12    Code section 199.13 provides that a person who violates the
  2 13 provisions of the Code chapter is guilty of a simple
  2 14 misdemeanor.  A simple misdemeanor is punishable by
  2 15 confinement for no more than 30 days or a fine of at least $65
  2 16 but not more than $625 or by both.
  2 17 LSB 6390YH 82
  2 18 da/nh/5