Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center

Bringing the GMO Debate to Siskiyou County
by Rose Taylor and Bonnie Thomas

A group of six local citizens has been working to educate our County Supervisors, farmers and the public about the possible dangers of growing genetically engineered (G.E.) plants, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms). The original group (Kirsten Olson and John Tannaci of Hunter Orchards, Matilde and Michael Unruh of Shasta Foods, Rose Taylor, and Bonnie Thomas) has expanded to include the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, Mt. Shasta HOPE, Meadow Barr of Meadow Industries, and Amy Hansen of Shasta Energy Group, who are all collaborating in sponsoring a Forum on GMOs. (See enclosed Events Calendar.)
The goal behind educating about GMOs is to pass a Siskiyou County ordinance for a three-year moratorium on the growing of GMO crops. Three other California counties have passed a ban on growing GMOs: Mendocino, Marin and Trinity. Some European countries have passed similar bans and refuse to import GMO foods. Recently the Japanese Retailer Association told California rice growers that they would refuse any rice from the Golden State if it allowed cultivation of genetically modified crops of rice.
Very little research has been done in the U.S. on the effects of growing GMO plants. Our information mostly comes from other countries. Our farmers and the public are not well informed on the subject. Farmers are easy prey for the biotech salesman pushing patented GMO seed and the subsequent herbicides or pesticides. The biotech corporations stand to gain tremendous monetary profits from our ignorance.

What are GMOs and why all the fuss?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are artificially created seeds, plants, livestock and aquaculture products (seafood) which contain genetic material that has been changed through modern biotechnology in a way that does not occur naturally. Traditional selective breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, non-directed mutagenesis or tissue cultures are not GMOs.
According to The Center for Food Safety, “Currently, up to 40 percent of U.S. corn is genetically engineered as is 80 percent of soybeans. It has been estimated that upwards of 60 percent of processed foods on supermarket shelves–from soda to soup, crackers to condiments–contain genetically engineered ingredients.”
GMOs and their products are being developed at a precipitous speed, and have been introduced into the marketplace, often without consumer knowledge, before the potential risks to our health, environment and our economy have been sufficiently studied. For example, independent scientific studies have found that pollen from GMO corn (which has pesticides engineered into the corn) have poisoned large populations of Monarch butterflies. Beneficial insects, birds and animals that eat GMO plants may also be harmed. And, there have been no long-term studies to show that GMO foods are safe for human consumption.
The plants are uncontainable when planted in open fields. The spread of GMO pollen and seed is uncontrollable. Wind, insects and birds aid in the contamination of neighboring fields of non-GMO crops.
Siskiyou County already has farms growing genetically-engineered alfalfa and corn.

Using U.S. patent laws to prosecute farmers
The uncontrolled spreading of GMOs poses an economic threat to farmers. With current laws, a farmer can be sued for growing patented GMO plants when his field is contaminated without his knowledge or permission.
According to a detailed report done by The Center for Food Safety, Monsanto, one of the largest chemical and GMO seed manufacturers, has filed over 90 lawsuits against American farmers, claiming their U.S. patented GMO seeds had been used without their permission. To date Monsanto has won over $15,253,602 and has set aside an annual budget of $10 million with a staff of 75, to solely investigate and prosecute farmers for violating patent infringements. Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of CFS, says, “These law suits and settlements are nothing less than corporate extortion to American farmers. Monsanto is polluting American farms with its genetically engineered crops, not properly informing farmers about these altered seeds, and then profiting from its own irresponsibility and negligence by suing innocent [unsuspecting] farmers.” http://www.percyschmeiser.com

Other concerns
Another economic threat is to the organic farmer whose organic certification and markets may be lost if his produce is infested by GMOs due to uncontrolled spreading to his fields.
The long-range result of GMO production will mean a restriction of the biodiversity of the planet. If biotech industries have their way, all major crops grown throughout the world will be GMO. By limiting the gene pool and number of species, this would make our food sources vulnerable due to loss of adaptation to climate, geography, altitude, soil, moister and weather changes.
Some tree farms, as seen in the video “Silent Forest,” are growing GMO trees for producing paper pulp. It remains to be seen if these trees could infiltrate the diversity of our National Forests.
Please sign the enclosed petition to our County Board of Supervisors and return it to MSBEC in the enclosed envelope.