GE free campaign
gathers record number of signatures
Grassroots coalition certain to qualify for ballot
Courtesy of GE-Free Sonoma
County
Santa
Rosa, California Advocates for a moratorium on genetically
engineered crops turned in 45,387 petition signatures today,
shattering the previous Sonoma County petition record of
less than 33,000. Despite torrential rain in the past few
weeks, nearly one in five County voters stopped to sign
the petition and show their support.
'I talked with people from all
ages and backgrounds, all walks of life, and I found broad
and enthusiastic support every time I went out," said Christina Hoex, a Radiologic Technologist at Memorial Hospital in Santa
Rosa, who gathered over 1500 signatures from people throughout
Sonoma County.
The signatures were gathered by
over 500 volunteers, also a county record.
Campaign Coordinator Daniel Solnit called the results "A
real victory. This represents an incredible amount of dedication and hard work
by hundreds of people who took time out of their busy lives, time from work
and family, to make this happen. Most of our volunteers are not activists,
they have not been involved in campaigns before, but care deeply about protecting
our food and farms from this threat."
"This has been an incredible
experience," said Linda Vaccaraza, a mother of two and resident of Sonoma, "I took time off of work to gather signatures
because this is so important for my childrens future. We have to know what
is being done to our food, and that what our kids eat
is safe."
Derek Trowbridge, winegrower and
owner of Old World Winery in Windsor, said, "Its plain good sense to put a ten-year moratorium on GE crops in
Sonoma County -- that will give growers time to assess the dangers and
possible benefits of GE technologies. The risk of contamination of our
farms is so serious that passing this initiative is our only recourse."
Observers consider the anti-GMO
measure to be more moderate and better
written than similar measures passed in Mendocino and Marin Counties last
year. Dave Henson, Director of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center and the
primary author of the initiative, spent several months consulting with local
farmers, scientists, and public officials. "In
drafting the initiative, we wanted to get perspectives from as many stakeholders
as possible. I think we succeeded. This measure really protects our farmers,
our local agricultural economy, and our environment from the potential risks
of genetic contamination and loss of markets."
The initiative prevents contamination
of Sonoma Countys agriculture and
environment by placing a ten- year moratorium on the propagation, cultivation,
raising, growing, sale or distribution of transgenic organisms within the county.
The measure makes exceptions for agricultural or medical research, and exempts
human food and animal feed products. The County Board of Supervisors would
be able to amend the law by unanimous vote. If passed, the ban would be enforced
by the Sonoma County Agriculture Commissioner, who would ensure that prohibited
GE organisms are destroyed or removed from the county. Violators who knowingly
grow or raise GE crops or animals could be charged for all abatement costs,
and fined a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
________________________________________________________________________________
GE Free Sonoma County
PO Box 231, Sebastopol,
CA 95473
(707) 823-4410 gefreesonoma.org
Contact Info
Daniel Solnit
Ph: 707-823-4410
Cell: 707-953-8600
Fax: 707-823-4480
Email: dsolnit@ecoisp.com
Dave Henson
Ph: 707-874-1557 x214
Cell: 707-206-5548
Fax: 707-874-1558
Email: dhenson@oaec.org