Cal GE-Free reports that on June 28th, the California State Assembly Agriculture Committee voted unanimously in favor of SB1056, a bill that could take away local government authority over seeds. The hearing was attended by activists who included representatives of the Cal GE- Free Coalition, the Sierra Club of California, Consumers Union, and the League of California Cities. SB1056 will now be heard on the Assembly Floor (probably not until early August after the recess), and if it passes there will go back to the Senate where it will likely be heard in Committee and then on the floor.

The June 28th hearing took place in Sacramento. If it passes, this bill would override restrictions on genetically engineered (genetically modified, or GM) crops and seeds, as well as all other local regulation of seeds. People who are concerned with food safety worry that GM foods are being rushed through without adequate time to test the technologies and assure people that genetic engineering of foods is safe.

In 2005, a groundswell of organizational and citizen response stopped the California preemption attempts, but this year's efforts to stop SB 1056 from passing will require a larger effort by the public. Several cities and counties in the state have voted to ban genetically-modified organisms within their territories, and these laws would be made invalid by SB 1056. SB1056 would prevent cities and counties from passing any local regulation on seeds, including a prohibition on GE crops, while undermining existing local ordinances that restrict GE in agriculture, and prohibiting any future citizen initiatives relating to food and agriculture. This would invalidate the recent vote by the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors to set up a Precautionary Moratorium on the planting and production of GE crops in Santa Cruz County.

Organizations such as Cal GE-Free are asking for people to call, email or fax their Assemblymember to ask him or her to oppose SB 1056. Read True Food Network's action page. Concerned citizens will be able to voice their opposition to the bill at the Agriculture Committee hearing on June 28th.

Californians for GE-Free Agriculture | OCA's Monsanto Law Action Page | BioDemocracy Alliance | Millions Against Monsanto | GM Watch | Sierra Club: Genetic Engineering | ZMag Biotechnology Watch | ZMag: Global Watch: Genetically Modified Food | Greenpeace: Say No to Genetic Engineering