Free speech is organic.

UPDATE 5/6: Sen. Linda Berglin reports that Dille's amendment was shot down and lines 8.6–8.11 have been removed!

Minnesota state Senator Steve Dille has inserted some keenly pro-business language into a new bill that's aimed to synch up Minnesota's organic farmers with the national organic standard. Dille's aim? To silence farmers who speak out against factory farming and large-scale feedlots. Here's the wording he's trying to insert into bill SF990:

7.34 (d) For the purposes of expanding, improving, and
7.35 developing production and marketing of the organic products of
7.36 Minnesota agriculture, the commissioner may receive funds from
8.1 state and federal sources and spend them, including through
8.2 grants or contracts, to assist producers and processors to
8.3 achieve certification, to conduct education or marketing
8.4 activities, to enter into research and development partnerships,
8.5 or to address production or marketing obstacles to the growth
8.6 and well-being of the industry. The commissioner may not
8.7 provide a grant to or contract with an individual or
8.8 organization that in the previous 36 months has taken, or
8.9 participated financially in, an action to prevent a person from
8.10 engaging in agricultural activities or expanding an agricultural
8.11 operation.

In other words, if you're an organic farmer vocally opposed to factory farming, you won't get funding from the Department of Agriculture.

Call Dille at 651.296.4131 now and tell him to nix lines 8.6 through 8.11 in SF
990, then call your state Senator and tell them to uphold the rights of farmers to speak out against practices that are endangering their livelihood and the environment.