California’s Marin County has joined Mendocino and Trinity counties
in banning genetically engineered crops. Despite a barrage of biotech
propaganda across the state, including charges that "outside agitators"
(i.e. the Organic Consumers Association) are meddling in California
farm policy, Marin voters turned out in record numbers on November 2
and approved the ban by a landslide 69%-31% margin. "Marin County’s
ban has inspired organic consumers across the nation and prepared the
ground for future statewide legislation that will stop Monsanto and
the biotech bullies dead in their tracks," according to Ryan Zinn,
California Campaign Coordinator for the Organic Consumers Association.
Elsewhere in Northern California, the Arcata City Council is preparing
to pass a GE ban, while San Francisco County legislators will likely
soon be voting on a similar measure. Despite the Marin victory, GE-Free
ballot initiatives failed to pass in Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, and
Humboldt counties. Activists in these and a dozen other California counties,
however, have vowed that "the battle has just begun." Learn
more…