Comments for New ordinance to control GE crops goes to supervisors at http://lakeconews.com , comment 1 to 19 out of 19 comments http://lakeconews.com Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:28:13 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8366 I find it ironic that someone who blogs under the name \"Smurf\" would be so free using someone else\'s name so negligently as you did Pat\'s. That hardly seems fair. The $150,000 that you\'re speaking of was from the county of Lake to enhance the sales of pears from Lake Co. There are three pear districts in CA and then there is the NW market (not including imports obviously). It went to the Lake Co. Pear marketing group, not Pat so is not \'his\' to give back. This was done in an effort by the county to enhance the recognition of the unique quality of the pears from Lake Co.\'s district to set them apart in the marketplace from the other districts and Northwest so that ALL growers could benefit. I think being that ag is a [b]huge[/b] component of the tax base in this county that tends in turn to illustrate why this kind of investment by the county is a reasonable one. Hopefully this lends some clarification to others from your statements which were either intended to be misleading or were perhaps just uninformed. And, a sad observation, we\'re operating in an environment where the supermarkets are consolidating at a rapid rate and they often don\'t care what kind of produce they buy, so long as it\'s cheap. Apples in Safeway (Lakeport) as of yesterday were 88 cents/lb for organic and nonorganic. It\'s one of the sad realities of market consolidation. All the money that this \"agriculture\" that you disparage comes into this county to the tune of tens of millions of dollars annually (try $72 mill) and creates a critically important economic base here in a county critically short on economic options. All of this you may care less about or will perhaps find a myriad of reasons to discount my observations. I realize this upfront as the nature of blogs. But I am dumbfounded and greatly saddened as to why you and others like yourself have found it necessary to go on the attack like this to other members of your community. Farming is one of the riskiest occupations that a person can have and one worthy of much more respect than this, whether you agree with someone\'s cultural practices or not. Farmers pretty much have to \'hang it out there\' every year. Personally, I have a lot of respect for that. I don\'t know who you are (except for a cartoon character) but I would never dream of writing to you or about you in the same manner you did. We may not agree on lots of things (just a guess) but you can bet I\'d never call you names from a position of anonymity and probably not even if I did know your real name (well maybe :!: .) If we\'re trying to achieve positive change in our county as well as our individual lives, you\'d think we\'d be equally as concerned about the toxic environment created by engaging in this kind of \'discourse\' rather than proactive communication. - Michelle Scully Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:35:37 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8301 dear, do buck up buttercup. Of course you\'re worthy of my presence :wink: thus the offer of a cuppa joe will stand. People who don\'t agree with you are far more fun to spend time with than a bunch of bobbleheads. It is, hopefully, how we learn. Well, those of us who are still interested in learning. Just thought you might be interested participating in trying to make things better/more productive when it comes to the spending of tax dollars. - Donna Christopher Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:40:29 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8295 I concur with purplegirl. The real issue here is the transparency of our food system. This involves everyone who eats. This ordinance is a good first step in the right direction. Thank you Ed Robey for showing some courage and leadership. - trdirt Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:11:18 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8294 "I sure as hell DO want truth in labeling on food" Unfortunately, the state/federal legislation (as well as the newly proposed local ordinance) does not address this incredibly important issue of labeling which is a downright shame. However, I can and will say that if this ordinance passes I WILL be buying more local produce than ever before because it will (at the very least) give me the confidence that I am not consuming GMO if I am buying from Lake County. So, every little bit helps. But I am with you, Donna, I sure would like to see a bit more food labeling legislation, as well. I mean, it is good to want to protect the health of the environment and all but I would also like to see an interest in protecting the health of the people. - purplegirl Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:55:29 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8281 Some clarification on AB541. This bill does not protect a farmer’s crop from genetic contamination. This is a law that protects California farmers from the intimidation tactics that biotech companies like Monsanto are using against farmers in other states. Monsanto has aggressively targeted farmers for so-called patent infringement and seed contract violations, even when farmers have had crops contaminated by Monsanto’s GE varieties. The law also establishes a mandatory crop sampling protocol to level the playing field when biotech companies investigate farmers for alleged violations. In essence, it protects farmers when their crops are contaminated, leveling the playing field so Monsanto can’t bully farmers with harassment, trespassing, and frivolous lawsuits. Unfortunately, The original AB 541 introduced in February 2007 included several other elements that have been removed in order to reach the agreement with opponents. It would have: 1. Established of the country’s first system of notification for the locations of GE crops; 2. Confined experimental pharmaceutical-producing crops to greenhouses to protect the food system from contamination; 3. Clarified that the GE crop manufacturer, and not farmers, is liable in the event of contamination. Assemblymember Huffman and the bill’s sponsors remain concerned about these issues and committed to pursuing more protections in the future. For additional information on this topic: For a copy of the final version of AB 541: http://www.legislature.ca.gov/cgi-bin/port-postquery?bill_number=ab_541&sess=CUR&house=B&author=huffman For more background on AB 541: http://www.calgefree.org/speakout.html http://www.gepolicyalliance.org/ - trdirt Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:12:21 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8280 I have never piped off about something I knew nothing about. I just don\'t always agree with you. I\'m not afraid of you but I have no interest being anywhere near you, I\'m just not worthy I guess. - Magnum Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:56:36 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8279 maybe we could get together and find a common ground and maybe a sensible solution to some of the problems that face us as citizens of the County of Lake. And to be honest I cannot for the life of me figure out anybody who has an opinion and wants to express it but is afraid to do so except under cover of anonimity - seems kinda cowardly to me. I\'m curious - what you are so scared of? That\'s why I chose the Senior Center, you\'ll be safe there from big ol\' bad ol\' me :wink: And c\'mon Magnum, since when did not knowing about a subject stop you from piping up? Hasn\'t in the past, why start now? - Donna Christopher Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:55:00 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8278 LOL..your funny Donna....since I am anonymous with this name why would I use someone elses name..Just another comment from you that makes no sense. And why would I want to have coffee with you.. I really don\'t know a lot about this topic so I won\'t chimed in to just see myself in print. - Magnum Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:31:57 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8275 you have had your good name highjacked by the nefarious \"magnum\" an anonymous poster on these pages. Unless, of course, you are the poser, excuse me, I mean poster \"magnum\". Why shouldn\'t Ed Robey lead the charge on an important issue in Lake County? He is still on the Board of Supervisors so I do expect him to continue to work. You\'re worried about money but want to pay him to not work the next two months??? Being able to market Lake County brands as not being frankenfoods will bring in far more money than the other way around. I am not a member of the Sierra Club but I sure as hell DO want truth in labeling on food. And magnum, the offer to buy you a cup of coffee at the Senior Center stands. Grow a spine and take me up on it. - Donna Christopher Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:37:05 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8274 for GE pot to be available at the senior center. - rickgunier Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:59:10 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8273 I hope that times like these make all of us look at how we all are able to pay our bills. Shouldn\'t we be asking some of the Lake County businesses that are much more involved in this and that also employ 40+ each. How is this going to impact your future? Instead of having the Sierra Club be the only one pushing their point home on this. AG accounts for a huge amount of LC total income, a decision like this could have major future complications. Plus a guy with less than 2 months to go in office is leading the charge??? - rickgunier Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:47:49 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8271 Just posting an active link to the proposed ordinance... [url]http://www.lakelive.info/cra/draftordinance.pdf [/url] - purplegirl Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:35:57 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8269 The criteria are listed in the draft ordinance posted to the CRA website (http://www.lakelive.info/cra/draftordinance.pdf to download). To summarize, before amending the ordinance to allow the cultivation of a specific GE crop, the BOS has to consider whether doing so would negatively affect the economic advantage of keeping Lake County’s agriculture free of GE crops; whether the state or the federal government has implemented effective regulations; whether state or federal law requires containment of GE field trials to prevent contamination; whether liability regulations have been established to protect organic and conventional farmers from contamination; whether labelling requirements for GE seeds and root-stock have been established; and whether the types and locations of the proposed GE crops will be registered by the Ag Commissioner and the info made available to the public. - vbrandon Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:15:17 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8265 of ag commodity marking is limited to remarks made by Pat Scully, who made the absurd claim that the hundreds of tons of Mendo pears his shed packed this year didn\'t fetch a higher price in the market place. What Pat DIDN\'T say was that there has never been any sort of serious effort to market those pears seperately or to develope a marketing program that highlights the fact that they were produced in a GMO-free zone. In other words, no one responded to the advantage they weren\'t aware of! This sort of dead-end mentality is the reason why the conventional pear industry is on it\'s last legs around here, and it\'s also why the $150,000 of taxpayer\'s money that Scully lobbyed for to help market his product was COMPLETELY WASTED! When Pat can come to the BOS with a record of sucess maybe we can take him seriously, until then someone who has wasted so much of our money should keep their uninformed opinions to themselves-unless he wants to give back the $150,000! - smurf Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:12:41 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8264 what the \'eight criteria\' are/ Is there be a public markup available? - taxismom Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:04:49 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8261 "The board, he said, could make a finding that a product meets eight criteria that ensures it isn\'t going to harm the economy or agriculture." It will be interesting to find out what those eight criteria are, especially since the FDA, EPA nor USDA have yet to be able able to classify GMOs/GEOs well enough to assert any definitive criteria for testing or labeling these kinds of "agricultural" products yet on the federal level. - purplegirl Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:58:58 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8256 Thank you Ed for moving ahead to establish some sensible regulations to protect Lake County from the unpredictable unintended effects of genetic engineering, which was developed to fatten the profits of large agribusinesses and the chemical industry, and has nothing to offer Lake County\'s very different kind of agriculture. If Mendocino County\'s GE moratorium hasn\'t yet brought a price benefit to local growers that\'s because no effort has been made to include it in a coordinated marketing plan; with Lake County adopting similar rules we will have a wonderful opportunity to establish a regional \"label\" for healthy, natural produce to the benefit of both communities. For more information about this effort, including the draft ordiance, visit the Coalition for Responsible Agriculture website, http://www.lakelive.info/cra. Individuals and businesses who would like to add their names to the endorsement list, which will be presented to the Supervisors on October 21, can do so at http://www.lakelive.info/cra/noGMOendorsements.htm or by sending an email to cra@lakelive.info. - vbrandon Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:40:52 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8253 nobody is getting higher prices for anything - except for the services of wall street financiers and off topic -- the market is cliff diving today -- has the d5 supe been paying attention to the economic news lately? does he have any evidence to support his assumption re mendo county crops? it is \'my understanding\'that the moon is made of green cheese :wink: rosenthal is the same guy who likened supporters of this ordinance as \'witches\' at the May hearing -- puhleeze - taxismom Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:32:59 +0100 http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5883/919/#comment-8252 effects are unknown.What we do know is there are economic effects when GE crops cross-contaminate other crops. Perhaps farmers in Mendo county aren\'t getting higher prices now, but they will in the near future when the public gets enough genetically engineered crops foisted off on them. Concerns about GE crops contaminating other crops have arisen based on actual occurrences. The crops have been known to escape test plots and travel many miles, mixing with conventional crops and wild plants. G E crops only really benefit the big companies that manufacture them, like Monsanto and others. I agree with Ed Robey\'s 8 point scale for exceptions; it is a good compromise to keep Pierce\'s disease at bay. Such was the case in the southern US in 2006 and 2007, when a type of GE rice was found to have contaminated commercial long-grain rice. The result was an embargo by the European Union on all US-grown rice – including varieties from California, where no GE rice is grown. This is an economic effect that is known, and there will be more. Locally grown or organic foods are the most trustworthy and safe, and I for one would really like to keep it that way. - lakecty10s Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:01:31 +0100