Cultural practices, which in this case is defined as traditional practices of the native cultures in Lake County, can be forever altered by the presence of genetically engineered crops. The primary threat from genetically engineered crops to cultural practices is in biological pollution through transgene flow from the genetically engineered plant to wild varieties.

A "genetically engineered" plant is a plant or any plant part material, including, but not limited to, seeds and pollen, in which genetic material has been changed through 'modern biotechnology" in a way that does not occur naturally by multiplication or recombination (definition in Coalition for Responsible Agriculture’s Draft Ordinance before the Lake County Board of Supervisors, 2008).

"Modern biotechnology" is the application of in vitro nucleic acid techniques, fusion of cells, including protoplast fusion, or hybridization techniques beyond the taxonomic family that overcome natural physiological, reproductive, or recombination barriers and that are not techniques used in traditional breeding and selection (definition in Coalition for Responsible Agriculture’s Draft Ordinance before the Lake County Board of Supervisors, 2008).

Archeologists date Pomo Indian presence in this area back to at least 11,000 years ago. In prehistoric times, native peoples were hunter gathers and relied on the bounty of wild plants in the Clear Lake region. In modern times, these plants continue to be used in traditional ways for medicines, foods, spiritual ceremonies and other cultural practices.

The use of “wild” varieties of grasses and other plants that are located in public and private areas are an important component of Tribal culture. In addition, “[Native] plants are a cornerstone of biological diversity,” according to the California Native Plant Society as stated on their website (www.cnps.org). Because biological diversity is necessary for a thriving ecosystem, Native peoples consider that anything that limits biological diversity will threaten their culture practices and ultimately, their culture.

During the Measure H Campaign to ban genetically engineered crops in Mendocino County in 2004, a Pomo GMO Statement developed amongst Tribes was submitted. A portion of it reads, “We therefore proclaim that the attempts now being made to forever alter our fish, trees, flowers, grasses and all other living things around us in unnatural ways are a threat to the preservation of our cultural traditions.”

As experience has shown, the pollen from genetically engineered crops does not recognize boundaries. Besides accidental pollination of nearby conventional or organic crops, many studies have shown that domesticated plants also cross with their wild relatives (Ellstrand, N. C., H. C. Prentice, and J. F. Hancock. 1999. Gene flow and introgression from domesticated plants into their wild relatives. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 30:539-563; Rissler, J., & Mellon, M. (1996). The ecological risks of engineered crops. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.) No survey of the native varieties of plants in Lake County has been done – no document exists that lists all the patches of every native plant in the county.

Boundaries and “buffer zones” around genetically engineered crops could not possibly work. Crops are pollinated in a variety of ways and the pollen can be carried quite a distance. According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant geneticist Daniel Z. Skinner and and Kansas State University alfalfa breeder Paul St. Amand, a minimum isolation distance of 5,109 feet from the hive to any other alfalfa field may be required to prevent gene flow (http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct01/pollen1001.htm).

Using this example, pollen from genetically engineered alfalfa and carried to wild alfalfa 4,000 feet away will pollinate and produce plants with the new genetically engineered trait. These wild varieties, could then have their pollen picked up by bees and carried another 4,000 feet and pollinate additional wild alfalfa plants. How long will it take before the need for buffer zones no longer exist because all the alfalfa has been contaminated with genetically engineered traits?

In addition, because no survey exists in Lake County which lists where all the native plants are located, how can the native plants be protected from transgene flow? They won’t be.

According to UC Riverside Plant Geneticist Dr. Norman Ellstrand, there is now substantial evidence that at least 44 cultivated plants mate with one or more wild relatives somewhere in the world. (Gene Flow from Transgenic Crops to Wild Relatives: What Have We Learned, What Do We Know, What Do We Need to Know? N. C. Ellstrand, presented at Gene Flow Workshop, The Ohio State University, March 5 and 6, 2002 http://www.agbios.com/docroot/articles/02-280-004.pdf).

Another problem associated with crop to wild gene flow has been uncovered which is the increased risk of extinction due to hybridization. Many examples have been noted and the risk would include those wild varieties changed by genetically engineered plants’ gene flow as well. (Ellstrand, N. C., H. C. Prentice, and J. F. Hancock. 1999. Gene flow and introgression from domesticated plants into their wild relatives. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 30:539-563.)

Some of the genetically engineered plants that potentially will be allowed to be grown in this county have wild varieties that are used by the Native peoples in their cultural practices. Because of pollen drift, genetically engineered crops in the county could easily alter wild varieties which are important to Tribal cultural practices. If this occurred, it would change the genetics and very nature of the plant in a way that would be abhorrent to some and sacrilege to others.

The altering of a plant’s genetic nature (and consequent permutations) because of unrestricted gene flow from engineered plants cannot be undone and could have a lasting impact on cultural practices among the Native peoples in the Clear Lake region. No one has the right to make decisions that allow this to happen.

Sarah Ryan lives in Clearlake. She is the environmental director for Big Valley Rancheria.

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