GMO Free Monterey County
- by: www.greenagriculture.org
- recipient: The Monterey County Board of Supervisors
This petition supports organic farmers in Monterey County by establishing Monterey County a GMO Free Zone.
1. Presently, there is inadequate monitoring and oversight of genetically engineered crops by the federal and state governments, necessary to ensure public health and environmental safety. The planting of genetically modified crops is not required to be publicly disclosed by any federal, state or county agency.
2. There is a lack of comprehensive safety testing of the effects of exposure to genetically engineered organisms in food. Presently, it is not required by any government agency.
3. Farmers and growers who do not want their crops contaminated with genetically modified organisms have no way of protecting their crops. Presently, there are no adequate safeguards to prevent genetically engineered contamination of crops, plants, insects, wildlife and wild-lands, which can result from forces of nature. The effects on ecosystems are unknown.
4. There is currently no legal requirement for labeling of genetically engineered foods, seeds or rootstock, and that is a danger to consumers and farmers alike. We believe that introducing genetically engineered crops can cause irreparable damage to the organic industry in Monterey County; it can cause harmful and prolonged exposure of farmworkers to pesticides; it can cause grave health effects on the population of Monterey County; it can cause irreversible damages to the eco-systems of Monterey County.
We the undersigned hereby ask the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County to declare the Monterey County a GMO-free zone until such time as adequate regulations exist to address items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above.
1. Presently, there is inadequate monitoring and oversight of genetically engineered crops by the federal and state governments, necessary to ensure public health and environmental safety. The planting of genetically modified crops is not required to be publicly disclosed by any federal, state or county agency.
2. There is a lack of comprehensive safety testing of the effects of exposure to genetically engineered organisms in food. Presently, it is not required by any government agency.
3. Farmers and growers who do not want their crops contaminated with genetically modified organisms have no way of protecting their crops. Presently, there are no adequate safeguards to prevent genetically engineered contamination of crops, plants, insects, wildlife and wild-lands, which can result from forces of nature. The effects on ecosystems are unknown.
4. There is currently no legal requirement for labeling of genetically engineered foods, seeds or rootstock, and that is a danger to consumers and farmers alike. We believe that introducing genetically engineered crops can cause irreparable damage to the organic industry in Monterey County; it can cause harmful and prolonged exposure of farmworkers to pesticides; it can cause grave health effects on the population of Monterey County; it can cause irreversible damages to the eco-systems of Monterey County.
We the undersigned hereby ask the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County to declare the Monterey County a GMO-free zone until such time as adequate regulations exist to address items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above.
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