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12 Comments

  1. We posted the story on the blog. Jeffrey Smith is the guest next week. I will ask him to describe it as well as other local actions that are happening.

    Thanks again!

    Catherine

  2. Thanks for the comments. I feel what happened in Jackson county is significant an is significant and a sign of upcoming change.

    To my knowledge there are a couple counties in CA who have GMO bans and one in WA and one in HI. The CA countis had increased revenues. Monsanto is trying to sue HI to get their ban overturned and plans to sue the OR counties. We are already building a defense fund.

    On the woo woo side I actually read and astrology article done on the astrology of Monsanto. They said Monsanto would be facing more headwinds and 2015 would be a particularity bad year for them.

    Links to articles on Jackson County GMO ban, Chuck Burr who is mentioned happens to be my neighbor and is an organic seed grower.

    From main stream news
    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/jackson-county-oregon-approves-gmo-ban-23812490

    From a local free lance author in the local paper.
    http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20140522%2FNEWS%2F405220305

  3. I would like to acknowledge my county, Jackson County Oregon, for our recent success in in banning growing GMOs in our valley. It is not receiving much national attention but Jackson county spent 2 years working to get the measure 15-119 on the ballot and working a ground roots education campaign.

    Monsanto and Syngenta came in and spent a million in negative adds. Our county only has a population of 120,000. Our Family Farms coalition only raised $300K+. And we won. Adds would come ofnsaying that banning GMOs meant that farmers were not allowed to grow hybrid crops. The educated population here would get pissed off that they were being lied to.

    Jackson County is a valley surrounded by mountains. We now have the ability to raise organic seed crops and sell premium organic seeds that are not contaminated by GMO pollen.

    This whole issue started because a several farmers raising organic chard seeds found out that Syngenta was secretly growing GMO sugar beets very close to their fields. Chard and sugar beets can cross pollinate. The farmers could not guarantee that their seeds were organic and lost their buyer. They had to plow under their crop ( which takes two years to go to seed). They went to Syngenta and said “Please tell us where you are growing. Please respect the 4 mile distance YOU say is needed to prevent cross pollination.” Talks broke down with Syngenta reps walking out and the petition to ban GMOs entirely began.

    Please share this news
    Thank You
    Cybele

    1. This is the kind of reality we want to be able to point to with our local network of friends. Cybele, please let us know if it’w published on the web. Yahoo!

    2. I had heard about the ban, but not the backstory you just told. From my POV, the grassroots education campaign was key. Otherwise, the voters would not understand when they were being lied to. Most people don’t really understand the difference between GMO & hybrid.

      Congratulations!

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