Posted January 2, 2014
Thirteen senators recently expressed concern about the potential effects of an “anti-science” provision in the House version of the farm bill, according to an Agri-Pulse article available here.
Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and 12 other senators sent the letter, available here, to Senate Agriculture Committee leaders about the “Sound Science Act,” S. 12307 Ensuring High Standards for Agency Use of Scientific Information, of H.R. 2642. The letter states that the provision would “make it nearly impossible for all federal agencies, including independent ones, to use science effectively to inform their decisions and protect public health, safety, and the environment.”
Senators also criticized the provision, writing that it “has the potential to eliminate the use of new, cutting edge and innovative science in agencies’ decision-making and to hinder their ability to keep up with scientific and technical advances in their jurisdictions.”
In addition, the provision directs federal agencies to give “greatest weight to information that is based on experimental, empirical, quantifiable, and reproducible data.” The senators said that this emphasis could be used to exclude non-reproducible research involving one-time events, such as research on the effects of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the evaluation of the flowrate from the well during the disaster.”
Supporters say the provision would require peer review, the disclosure of scientific studies used in making decisions, and an opportunity for stakeholder input.
The Hill also reported on the story here.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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