ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Some Georgians are calling on Gov. Brian Kemp to veto a bill that just passed through the state House and Senate.

Senate Bill 144 would shield pesticide and fertilizer companies from lawsuits beyond federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warnings.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, is a vegetable farmer who lives in south Georgia.

He said the legislation is a labeling bill and that EPA standards would still apply.

“The label is the law,” Watson said. “The EPA approves the label, and they’re not going to let any manufacturer put anything on the label that they don’t say is OK to put on the label.”

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Consumer health groups in Georgia opposed it. Nicole Johnson testified before the House Judiciary Committee.

“We have to try to find the safest products that we can, and at some point we may recognize that some of the things we’re using aren’t safe,” said Johnson. “If we shield these manufacturers from liability, it’s going to take us longer to figure out which ones are causing problems.”

State Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta, gave the minority report on the bill.

“Usually we have at least 24 hours' notice before we’re going to consider a bill,” Evans said. “Not always, but that was a little weird. We know this is being pushed by Bayer, which recently bought Monsanto, and it is about Roundup,” said Evans.

Roundup is used by the majority of farmers. Manufacturer Bayer is facing more than 60,000 cancer claims. They’ve paid billions to settle lawsuits.

Evans called it frustrating and said ultimately, it’s consumers who will suffer.

“This is being pushed by big business, period, and we just let it sail right through,” said Evans.

Georgia is one of 21 states where legislation like this has been introduced.

Farmer and state Rep. Robert Dickey, R-Musella, fiercely defended the bill before the House vote. Condemning lawyers for preying on the product, he said lawsuits could force Bayer to pull the product and crop yields would suffer.

“I don’t normally speak on bills, but I’m mad as I can be right now,” Dickey said. “They’re going after agriculture, going after our food supply, and I’m not going to stand here and let it happen.”

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