News & Events

Medocino County Bans GMOs
Organic Consumers Association

On March 2 the citizens of Mendocino County California voted to ban the production of genetically engineered plant and animal products within county lines, despite being outspent by biotech and agribusiness interests by more than six to one, or by over a half million dollars. Supporters of the grassroots referendum spearheaded by local businesswoman Els Cooperider were able to convince voters that GMOs not only posed a danger to human health, but also threatened the well established organic and non-GMO farming industry with the prospect of contamination from genetically engineered crops.

Following the lead of the Medocino activists, local initiatives are under way in nearby Humbolt county and as far away as Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the Australian states of Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), supporters of the ban, report that they have information from informed sources that the ban will soon be under attack in the California senate and court system. They have mounted a campaign called the Biodemocracy Alliance to defend the Mendocino ban and help create GE-Free zones in agricultural counties thoughout California and the entire U.S.

For more information contact the OCA at http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/mendocino030804.cfm -Scott Vlaun

Belgium Rejects Cultivation of GMO Canola

On February 2nd, the Belgian government rejected an application by German bio-tech giant Bayer CropScience to grow genetically modified (GMO) rapeseed (canola) in Europe, citing a threat to bio-diversity and the risk of the GMO crop mixing with conventional crops through cross-pollination which would spell disaster for organic farmers whose crops must be certified GMO free.

The European Union, is currently considering ending its six-year moratorium on the authorization of new GMOs and this decision is seen by some to be a setback for that effort. Bayer had applied, through Belgium, for a license to grow the genetically modified oilseed throughout the EU.

While this decision was viewed as a victory for organic farmers, environmentalists, and other anti-GMO forces, they were disappointed that, while rejecting the cultivation of the GMO crop, the Belgian government approved Bayer's request to import and process the genetically modified product if it is grown elsewhere. -Scott Vlaun

Act Now to Preserve the Conservation Security Program

According to the Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture and the Union of Concerned Scientists, a highly touted provision of the 2002 Farm Bill that would provide assistance to organic farmers is in dire jeopardy. The Conservation Security Program, which would reward farmers and ranchers for conservation efforts is in danger of being under-funded by the federal government to the point of ineffectiveness.

This program which by definition "identifies and rewards those farmers and ranchers who meet the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations, creates powerful incentives for other producers to meet those same standards of conservation performance on their operations, and provides public benefits for generations to come," Has languished for the last year and a half with much of the appropriated funds being diverted elsewhere.

To learn more about this critical issue for the sustainable agriculture movement and the public comment period which ends March 2nd please visit any of the following WebPages: National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, The Minnesota Project, Land Stewardship Project, Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, and Union of Concerned Scientists. -Scott Vlaun