GE-Free Sonoma/Economic Costs of Bio-Contamination

Hi all - We have an incredible opportunity to "just say no" to GMO
(genetically modified) crop pollution in our precious Sonoma County
ecosystem and farmland. Still, the challenges are notable, and it will take
our effort to make that possible. Here's a new release highlighting the
potential costs from GMO crops in this county. - PD

Patricia Dines
Community Action Publications
The Organic Guides
http://www.healthyworld.org

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GE-Free Sonoma Proponents Release Report
On Economic Costs of Bio-Contamination;

County Supervisors place measure on November 8, 2005 ballot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2005

Santa Rosa, CA - Proponents of a 10-year moratorium on transgenic
(genetically engineered) crops in Sonoma County, California released a
report today highlighting the potentially costly economic losses to the
county which could result from failing to pass the moratorium. The report,
titled "The Costs of Contamination", assesses the potential economic
impacts
of transgenic contamination on local agriculture, fisheries, and public
lands.

The report is available online on the campaign's website:
http://www.gefreesonoma.org/press/Costs_of_Contamination_2-23-05.pdf

Key points from "The Costs of Contamination" report include the following:

* DAIRY: Clover Stornetta, Sonoma County's leading dairy manufacturer,
processes milk from 16 family-owned dairies (12 of them in Sonoma County),
all of which guarantee that they do not use genetically engineered growth
hormone (rBST), and many which produce organic milk for Clover Stornetta's
organic line. More than one half of the milk purchased by the all-organic
Straus Family Dairy is also produced at Sonoma County dairies. While it is
difficult to assess how many millions of dollars of our highest value
organic dairy producers are at stake, there is a clear risk that, when GE
contamination of organic pasturelands occur, domestic and international
market rejection will follow.

* SALMON: Sonoma County salmon fishermen's 2002 catch was worth more than
$1
million wholesale. Contamination by transgenic salmon could decimate the
native salmon population, placing the entire salmon fishing industry at
risk. This would be a catastrophic loss for our local fishermen, for our
tourist and sport fishing industry, and for efforts to restore our
long-endangered salmon populations.

* FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS: The economic value of fruit & vegetables
(excluding grapes) grown in Sonoma County in 2003 was nearly $17 million.
Most of Sonoma County's vegetable and fruit growers provide specialty crops
to local markets - many of which are restaurants, farmer's markets, and
other buyers who are most likely to require GE-free produce. A large
majority of American consumers want to avoid GE foods. Growers who plant GE
varieties or become contaminated with GE become increasingly vulnerable to
market rejection.

* ORGANIC FARMERS: The major natural food processors in Sonoma County have
combined revenues of over $300 million. In recent years there has been
dramatic growth in certified organic acreage in Sonoma and Napa counties -
236% growth between 2001 and 2003, totaling 164 farms with a combined 4152
acres. If the initiative does not pass, each of the 164 registered organic
farmers would be directly threatened by the introduction to Sonoma County
of
GE versions of the crops they grow. The potential combined market losses
for
these producers is clearly in the tens of million of dollars.

* SCHOOLS: There are over 75 food and flower producing, educational organic
gardens at our public elementary and high schools. Sonoma County's school
garden programs are among the most successful in the nation, providing a
participatory learning environment on horticulture and ecology to thousands
of students each year. All of these would be threatened by GE
contamination.

* TOURISM: Sonoma County tourism amounts to nearly $1 billion a year. The
county's main draws include the beauty of our natural environment and our
unique and diverse agricultural bounty. This attraction will be severely
damaged if GE crops, weeds and animals replace our diverse, locally
appropriate varieties and native ecosystems, with potentially serious
losses
to tourism industry - wine tasting, fishing, outdoor activities,
hospitality, retail, and more.

* LIABILITY: Would failure to pass a GE moratorium expose the County to
liability for the costs of contamination of public and private land owners,
farms, gardens and schools by GE crops, weeds and other organisms? Such
costs could include ecological disturbance of critical habitat or species
listed as endangered or threatened; contamination of private and public
property: farms, ranches, nurseries, residential landscaping and gardens,
community gardens, schools, parks, etc; and seed contamination for farmers,
horticultural researchers and gardeners who save their own seed.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors placed the measure on the ballot for
a November 8, 2005 election. The GE-Free Sonoma County campaign had
gathered over 45,000 signatures - a record in the county - to place
the initiative
on the ballot. The full text of the initiative can be read at
http://www.gefreesonoma.org/press/0621_Initiative.pdf