, 28.08.2006 23:07



The voters of Mendocino County have decided that they approved a ballot measure "H" banning growth of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) food crops within their county. Many other counties have followed suit and this pattern of local ordinances against GMO crops is a threat to biotech corporations (Monsanto, Genentech, Bayer/Aventis, etc..) who would prefer to continue on with the trend of pushing small organic farmers out of business and replacing their crop biodiversity with GMO monoculture..

Though the farmers/consumers in Mendocino County wouldn't be directly effected by SB 1056, any other county/region that has not yet passed a GMO free ordinance would no longer be allowed to have any say in whether or not GMO crops are grown in their county/region. SB 1056 states that local regulations will be rendered invalid by the passing of SB 1056. For this reason organic consumers and farmers say "NO on SB 1056!"

From GMO Free Mendocino;

"With only a week left until the California legislature adjourns for this year, Senator Florez has again amended SB 1056 to extend the reach of this pending preemptive strike against local action on genetically engineered crops. As it now reads, the bill would preempt local decisions with respect to both seeds and nursery stock. The newly amended bill is attached.

If brought to a vote, the bill will most likely pass the Assembly, so the Senate is perhaps the only place the bill can be stopped. Senate president pro tem Don Perata will play a key role in the fate of the bill, so it's important to let him know we are watching and we expect him to do the right thing by insuring that local rights with respect to this critical issue are preserved. Should it come to a vote, we will also need to be sure Senator Chesbro will take a strong stand against the bill.

DOWNLOAD PDF FILE OF SB1056

So we are asking you to take three actions in defense of Mendocino, Trinity and Marin Counties and the cities of Point Arena and Arcata, and in support of the Sonoma County initiative and the proposed ordinance in Lake County:

1. Contact Senator Perata by phone or fax at your earliest convenience on Tuesday, September 6 (Monday is the Labor Day holiday): (916) 651-4009, Fax (916) 327-1997. (email is okay, but telephone or fax contact has more impact - Senator.Perata@sen.ca.gov) Tell Senator Perata that you support the right of local government to make decisions with regard to GE crops, and ask him to be sure this bill is not permitted to come to a vote.

2. Contact Senator Wes Chesbro at your earliest convenience on Tuesday: (916) 651-4002, Fax (916) 323-6958 ( Senator.Chesbro@sen.ca.gov). Tell Senator Chesbro that you support the right of local government to make decisions with regard to GE crops, and ask him to defend Measure H by voting against SB 1056.

3. Send this message to at least three supporters of GMO-Free Mendocino.

With thanks in advance for your continued support of our right to keep Mendocino County crops free of genetic contamination!

Doug Mosel"



more info on SB 1056 @;

http://www.gmofreemendo.com/

*EXTREMELY URGENT: Call State Senators TODAY to Oppose SB 1056!!!*

by Greenwood Earth Alliance

Please call or email your Senator pro temp Don Perata's office right away and ask him to oppose SB1056, even if amended.

Also call your regional State Senator at their Sacramento offices asap - ask them to oppose SB1056!

Dear Friends and Colleagues!

The state assembly passed SB 1056 which revokes local government's right to ban GE crops in the absence of state law protecting people and the environment against genetic pollution--the bill is a product of the Big Business

lobbying group ALEC. In order to pass, the bill was modified to suspend local rights for two years only--enough time to get the crops in and pollution in high gear.

Please call Senate President Don Perata's office right away and ask him to oppose SB1056, even if amended.

Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata: (916) 651-4009

Email if you can't call: Senator.Perata [at] sen.ca.gov

Also call your State Senator at their Sacramento offices asap - ask them to oppose SB1056!

For example:

Wes Chesbro: (916) 651-4002 (Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and everything North of there)

Carole Migden: (916) 651-4003 (Rohnert Park, Petaluma, and

everything south of there)

Go here to look for your state senator if you don't know who he/she is:

http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp

This is extremely urgent! To understand the enormity of the threat of GE Crops and Food, read SEEDS OF DECEPTION by Jeffrey Smith and/or view the video THE FUTURE OF FOOD!

Both excellent!

Onward!

Mary Bull

Greenwood Earth Alliance

Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign

http://www.gapsucks.org

415-731-7924 chalicenew [at] earthlink.net

GE-Free San Luis Obispo sums it up quite nicely;

"SB1056 would pre-empt any local authority over GMO seeds. Contact Senator Parata today and ask him to oppose this poorly written and over-reaching legislation."

more info @;

http://slogefree.org/

BTW, the violent destruction of community farms like SouthCentral farm and the attempted passing of pro-GMO Senate Bill 1056 would take even the basic rights of growing food out of the hands of working class people, leaving the remaining corporate farms (ConAgra, ADM, etc..) with complete control of the food supply via patented GMO seeds..

Following WTO/NAFTA protocol, any community regulation on GMO food crops is deemed as a "free trade barrier" despite how the corporation's actions (GMO pollen drift) are negatively impacting the region's economy/ecosystem..