[WB-Discuss] [roger@kitchengardeners.org: Towns, counties, and countries voting to ban GMOs]

[Aram Falsafi]

I think this is a great proposal, and one that we can probably get WCES to
cosponsor with us.

We have a meeting next week, right? Assuming we are still planning to do
something for Earth Day, maybe we can announce a campaign at that event?

Spring and summer will be a great time to do tabling for this.

-Aram


Clayton Carter wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
>         I'd be interested in discussing the possiblity of us getting
> anti-GMO resolutions on the ballot in either Belmont or Watertown.
> Obviously, they'd be mainly symbolic, but that's not really much
> different from these various anti-PATRIOT Act resoltions go around the
> country.
> 
> Clayton
> 
> --
> Clayton Carter   crcarter at cs dot indiana dot edu
> 
>   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Towns, counties, and countries voting to ban GMOs
> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 09:20:39 -0500
> From: "Roger Doiron" <roger at kitchengardeners.org>
> To: Northeast Food System Partnership <nefood-l at listproc.tufts.edu>
> 
> Below you'll find an article about the recent vote to ban GE crops and
> animals in Mendocino County (CA).  Closer to home, there are similar
> initiatives underway in Vermont and Maine.  Any other ones in the Northeast
> we should know about?
> 
> Vermont: http://www.gefreevt.org
> Maine: http://www.keepmainefree.org/
> 
> A list of GE Free initiatives in other countries:
> http://www.organicconsumers.org/gefood/countrieswithbans.cfm
> 
> > Mendocino County voters ban biotech crops
> > First county in U.S. to bar gene-altered farming
> > March 3, 2004
> > By MIKE GENIELLA
> > THE PRESS DEMOCRAT (Santa Rosa, CA)
> > Mendocino County voters on Tuesday were the first in the nation to ban
> > genetically engineered crops and animals.
> >
> > By a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent, they approved Measure H, an
> > initiative pushed by the county's organic farmers and one that has far
> > greater symbolic impact than practical effect because such crops are
> > not likely to be introduced in the county for years.
> >
> > Some of the nation's largest agricultural interests spent more than a
> > half-million dollars in a bid to defeat the measure, fearing that it
> > could become a precedent for other counties.
> > And that is likely to happen.
> >
> > "Passage of Measure H is just the beginning. We're the first county,
> > but the revolution is just starting," said Els Cooperrider, owner of a
> > Ukiah organic brew pub who spearheaded the campaign.
> >
> > Groups in Sonoma and Humboldt counties already are preparing drives to
> > qualify similar initiatives on the November ballot. Allen Henson of the
> > Occidental Arts and Ecology Center has said passage of Measure H will
> > give Sonoma County activists incentive to develop a policy to keep out
> > genetically engineered crops.
> >
> > Cooperrider and Measure H supporters were jubilant Tuesday night,
> > especially after having been outspent by a 7-1 margin in the most hotly
> > contested initiative election in Mendocino County history.
> >
> > All but two Fort Bragg precincts and about 3,000 absentee ballots,
> > representing less than 2 percent of the vote, had been counted by 10
> > p.m. Tuesday.
> >
> > The election drew statewide, national and even international attention,
> > with reporters for major news media outlets on hand to witness the
> > noisy Measure H victory celebration at the Cooperrider pub.
> >
> > A consortium of agri-business interests called CropLife America waged a
> > two-month campaign to defeat the measure. CropLife was joined by local
> > and state Farm Bureau leaders and members of the county's agricultural
> > establishment.
> >
> > But their high-profile efforts weren't enough.
> >
> > A coalition of organic grape growers, businesses and local political
> > figures convinced voters that Mendocino should take a stand in the
> > global debate over the adequacy of safeguards surrounding a
> > fast-emerging biotechnology industry. A current void in state law
> > allowed the issue to be placed before Mendocino voters.
> >
> > "This is an issue that needs to be dealt with at the state, national or
> > global level, but you have to start somewhere and that somewhere is
> > Mendocino County," said Measure H supporter Art Harwood of Harwood
> > Products.
> >
> > Elizabeth Brazil, coordinator of the campaign to defeat Measure H, said
> > Tuesday night that opponents were disappointed by the results.
> > "Mendocino County is going to be harmed by this measure," Brazil said.
> > Brazil declined to speculate whether local opponents and CropLife are
> > prepared to mount legal and legislative challenges to Measure H.
> > Mendocino County voters in the 1970s adopted an initiative to ban
> > aerial spraying of pesticides, but the state Legislature within two
> > weeks stripped counties of that right.
> >
> > Spokeswoman Laura Hamburg said supporters are prepared for any
> > challenge. "We have had this ordinance reviewed by top lawyers, who say
> > they're confident it will stand up to any challenge."
> >
> > You can reach Staff Writer Mike Geniella at 462-6470 or
> > mgeniella at pressdemocrat.com.
> >
> >