BUTTE COUNTY PETITION TO BAN (GENETICALLY ENGINEERED) GE CROPS GOES TO ELECTIONS BOARD

LOCAL PETITION TO BAN (GENETICALLY ENGINEERED) GE CROPS GOES TO ELECTIONS BOARD

The Citizens for GE Free Butte County invite the media to be present and report on the submission of more than 9,000 signatures on the proposed measure, “County Ordinance Prohibiting Growing of Genetically Engineered Organisms”. A press conference has been set for today, Tuesday June 1, 2004 at the Butte County Elections Board in Oroville, CA, 25 County Center Drive.
When asked, Susan Sullivan, petition statistician and education coordinator for the GE-Free Butte County group said, “We are submitting approximately 9,500 signatures surpassing our goal of 9,000 which were obtained in a short 6 weeks. A big thank you to the 128 valiant volunteers from throughout the county who donated their time to the monumental task. We are confident that the initiative will qualify for placement on the November 2004 ballot, knowing only 6,146 valid Butte County registered voter signatures are required. Appreciation has been expressed by many of those signing the petition for the groups dedication in getting the information to the public on an issue that is sorely lacking from the mainstream media.”
The GE-Free Butte County group reported The Silver Dollar Fair in Chico to have been a wonderful opportunity to meet and distribute information concerning rights of the farmer, economic impact and human health. Support from Butte County was expressed in the number of signatures that were gathered. In addition interest to have a similar initiative was heard from residents of several counties including Glenn, Shasta, Yolo, Colusa, Tehema, Sutter, Plumas and San Francisco counties.
One of the most common points taken up with the GE free Butte County group was that genetically engineered organisms would solve world hunger. The Citizens for GE-Free Butte County also agree a solution for world hunger is necessary. The fact is well published there is more than enough food currently being generated to feed the entire world population and it is greed and politics that keeps food from the hungry. The perplexing question remaining with the GE Free contingency is that most of the ones voicing the aforementioned opinion agreed with this as fact and that this needed to be resolved. However, those with the differing point of view to GE-Free still held tenaciously to the information they had received from unknown sources that GE crops were the answer to world hunger. Citizens for GE-Free Butte County will offer several venues to dialogue GE crop views over the next several months for an equitable solution. It seems that many of the same questions are being asked.
There are plans for a variety of GE information opportunities that will be open to the public, i.e., CSU speaker’s series, debate forums, films, music events, tabling information, fundraising events and more. Judy LaRocca of LaRocca Vineyards with enthusiasm invites Butte county resident’s “Let’s just talk about food for 6 months because we all know our health is our true wealth!” Further comment by Lou Ann Choss, media coordinator for GE-Free Butte County was “An informed decision at the November 2004 polls, in regards to GE free food crops in Butte County is key to a healthy democratic decision. When informed of the facts on GE issues concerning our agriculture farm lands the right course of action is easier to see.”
According to recent GE seed activity in CA and WA, rice and wheat are some of the next GE crops targeted by the BioTech industry to be introduced into the environment. As of today these states’ agriculture commissions have not approved the GE seeds.
The Citizens for GE-Free Butte County invite the public to be proactive in their quest for truth regarding genetically engineered organisms in food crops.
Please visit our website http://www.gefreebutte.com