If approved, Sonoma would become the fourth county in the state to ban genetically modified organisms.
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Battle Over GMO's Reaches Sonoma Ballot
Jun 19, 2005
http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_170144951.html

(KCBS) - Between the television ads and the billboards, the debate over genetically modified organisms has become almost impossible to miss in Sonoma county where voters will have to decide this November whether to approve an initiative that would ban all genetically modified organisms in Sonoma County.

Supporters of the ban--who gathered a record 45,000 signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot--argue that the quality of Sonoma county's agricultural products is at stake. Opponents say the ban is too broad and would have far reaching effects beyond the county's farms.

"People know the value of what's grown here," Daniel Solnit told KCBS's Larry Chiaroni. "We wanted to protect that."

Solnit is the campaign director for GE Free Sonoma County, the organization that got the ordinance onto the fall ballot.

The Sonoma County Farm Bureau disagrees however, and is campaigning vigorously against the ordinance, which would ban not only genetically modified crops but any genetically engineered product.

"The common West Nile virus vaccine now would be prohibited in Sonoma County," said Lex McCorvey, executive director of the Farm Bureau. "Pet vaccines like for rabies, feline leukemia? Those would be prohibited."

McCorvey said his organization spent ten months studying transgenic science before coming out against the ban on genetically modified organisms.

"There's no question that the potential benefits of genetic engineering, genetically modified products of all types far out-weighed any of the perceived risks that were being suggested out there," McCorvey said.

But Solnit insisted that the long term effects of genetically engineered plants on the eco-system remains largely unknown, pointing out that once modified genes enter the wild, the genie cannot go back in the laboratory.

"Once you release these things and they start spreading and contaminating other crops and wild plants," McCorvey said, "you can't call them back. There's no recall."

Solnit also said the influence of large-scale agri-businesses on the debate should not be ignored.

"The only people who benefit from genetically engineering crops are the stock holders of Monsanto," Solnit said. "It really does nothing long-term for the farmer."

While McCorvey's arguments center around plants, the Farm Bureau focused on other products which would be unavailable to people, such as certain cancer treatments.

If approved, Sonoma would become the fourth county in the state to ban genetically modified organisms.