Daniel Solnit
Campaign Coordinator, GE-Free Sonoma County

This November 8th, Sonoma County voters will decide whether to pass the GE-Free Sonoma County initiative, a 10-year moratorium on growing Genetically Engineered (GE) crops. The measure is better written and more moderate than similar measures passed in Mendocino and Marin Counties: it sunsets in 10 years, allows the board of Supervisors to amend it by unanimous vote, and exempts medical and agricultural research (if safely contained in a laboratory), animal feed, and human food on store shelves.

GE-Free Sonoma County, a grassroots coalition of family farmers, environmentalists, and concerned citizens, see the measure as a "time out" to evaluate the potential risks of GMOs. Currently, State and Federal agencies require virtually no independent research or testing, no review of industry claims of safety, and no multi-generational studies of the real impacts on public, environmental or agricultural health from long-term exposure to GE organisms. The State does not even monitor where or which transgenic crops are grown.

According to Dave Henson, primary author of the initiative, "this is a right to farm issue. If we allow GE crops into Sonoma County, they will inevitably contaminate other farmers' crops and seeds. Farmers have the right to farm without risking the loss of both their crops and their markets from contamination." Proponents have prepared a report outlining the potentially significant economic risks of introducing GE crops to Sonoma County. The report, titled "The Costs of Contamination", is available on the campaign's website: www.gefreesonoma.org.

Although most attention focuses on crops, the measure also prohibits GE animals, fish, trees, insects, and other organisms. GE plants, fish or trees could threaten the health and diversity of Sonoma County's ecosystems through irreversible genetic contamination of related species. Such "back-crossing" of DNA from a genetically engineered crop to a native relative has already occurred in corn, cotton and canola. Salmon fisherman and watershed advocates are particularly alarmed at the prospect of genetically engineered salmon; if just forty pairs of faster-growing GE salmon were to escape from a fish farm (which is almost certain to happen), they could wipe out our native wild salmon population in a matter of years.

Opponents of the measure, led by the Farm Bureau and several grape-grower organizations, have already gone on the offensive, spending tens of thousands of dollars on radio ads. The ads state that the GMO ban will cost taxpayers millions of dollars, cause urban sprawl, and take medicines away from children and pets. The claims are untrue, and are apparently intended to frighten or confuse listeners into voting against the measure.

large growers, and chemical corporations like Monsanto, the opposition will probably spend a million dollars or more - on slick mailers, deceptive ads, phony telephone 'push-polls', and anything else money can buy. We can win this fight, but we have to out-organize them with people power. It will take a huge grassroots effort, with hundreds of committed volunteers knocking on doors and talking to neighbors."

The GE-Free campaign also has a highly effective new tool: "The Future of Food" is an award-winning 90-minute documentary on the risks of GE food. According to Solnit, "the video does a remarkable job of explaining this issue clearly and compellingly. It leaves people with a sense of both of urgency and hope. You cannot watch this film and not be moved to action." The film is being shown by supporters in living rooms, schools, churches, workplaces, and community centers throughout the county, and is available to rent at no charge from the public library and local video stores.

Henson adds, "This is ultimately a question of democracy. We need to protect our democratic right to determine our own environmental, public health and economic future. This must be decided by the community, not a few global chemical companies. Right now we have a brief window of opportunity to keep our county clean and green. If our farms and environment become contaminated by GE plant and fish varieties, we will never have a GE-free county."

What You Can Do:

• See The Future of Food - free rental from libraries and video stores. (see website)
• Endorse the campaign - add your name to our list of supporters
• Volunteer a couple of hours to knock on doors, make phone calls, help with outreach and events
• Host a house party - have friends and neighbors over to watch the video and learn more
• Adopt-a-voter program - give us the names of 20-30 friends who you will contact and turn out on election day
• Spread the word - invite a speaker to your group; write letters to the editor; put up a yard sign
• Donate! - we need to raise enough to reach voters with the truth about this initiative, and the real risks of GE crops