1.Victory! GM ban passed on Big Island, Hawaii, USA
2.Genetically Engineered Taro Banned on Big Island
3.Unanimous Decision - Canada's 3rd GM Free Zone

EXTRACT: "This unanimous decision helps our campaign move forward as we will now look to bring other local governments on board." (item 3)
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Subject: Victory
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:23:59 -1000
From: Paul Normann <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

*Victory!*

Today, Thursday November 13th, the Hawaii County Council successfully overrode Mayor Harry Kim's veto of bill# 361.

Bill# 361, introduced by Council Member Angel Pilago, will now become an ordinance, protecting the Big Island's Taro or Coffee from Genetic Engineering.

This victory was won through the overwhelming strength of people power.
We won because of you, and your willingness to show up and be counted.

*Mahalo,* to the 100+ individuals who showed up at the county council offices today.

*Mahalo,* to the thousands of your who have given testimony to the county council in support of bill# 361.

*Mahalo,* to the community organizers and activist who helped us keep the pressure on our Co. Council Members.

*Mahalo,* to the Hawaiian Kapuna, with whom we have been honored to work.

*Mahalo to all of you!*  You made this victory possible!

The fight for safe sustainable food is not over, but today we can celebrate.

Please call and thank the 7 County Council members who voted to override
Mayor Kim's Veto:

*961-8225*
*Brenda Ford*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. <mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>_
*Pete Hoffmann*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._
<mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
*Bob Jacobson*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._ <mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
*Emily Naeole*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._ 
<mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
*Angel Pilago*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._
<mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
*Dominic Yagong*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._
<mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
*J. Yoshimoto*: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._
<mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

Paul Normann
808-557-4806
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. <mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
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2.Genetically Engineered Taro Banned on Big Island   
KGMB9 News, November 13 2008 
http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/11447/40/

The Hawaii County Council has voted to uphold a ban on genetically modified taro and coffee.

Mayor Harry Kim initially vetoed the ban.

Thursday the council voted seven to zero to override that veto.

The decision makes it illegal to grow genetically engineered taro and coffee crops.

Anyone caught could face a $1,000 fine.

Those supporting the ban say they want to preserve the brand-name value of their crops.

"We have a unique crop that needed to be protected and certainly Kona coffee farmers deserved that protection as well as well as other farmers in Hamakua, Kona, in Puna, in North Kohala, they all deserve that protection," said Hawaii County Councilman Dominic Yagong.

Councilman Yagong says he polled about 89 coffee farmers and most were in favor of the ban.
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3.Unanimous Decision
Nelson, B.C. Becomes Canada's 3rd
Genetically Engineered (GE) Free Zone
News Release
For Immediate Release

NELSON, British Columbia - On November 3, 2008, the City of Nelson, British Columbia took leadership on a controversial food issue. All six of the City’s council members and the mayor voted in favor of a resolution to make the City of Nelson a genetically engineered free zone.

Sometimes referred to as GMOs (genetically-modified organisms), GE foods have steadily increased their presence in North America's food supply since they were introduced in the mid-90s. Nevertheless, the move by local governments to address the issue signals that concerns with GE foods are perhaps increasing.

"This unanimous decision helps our campaign move forward as we will now look to bring other local governments on board," says GE Free Kootenays campaign spokesperson Kim Charlesworth. The campaign has its eyes set on encouraging other local governments in the Kootenay region of the province to follow Nelson's lead.

The GE Free resolution was presented to the council by Charlesworth and Jon Steinman, both members of the Kootenay Food Strategy Society. The council chambers were filled with community members who supported the campaign, including one resident who held up a sign that read, "Say No to GMO”.

GE Free Kootenays is only one of a number of initiatives across western Canada that are also looking to create GE free regions. The Society for a GE Free B.C. and GE Free Yukon are both working hard to achieve what happened in Nelson on November 3.

The Regional District of Powell River, B.C., became the first GE-Free zone in the country in 2004, followed by Saltspring Island, B.C. in 2005. Nelson is the third GE Free zone in Canada.

The wording of the adopted resolution reads, "The City of Nelson does not support the cultivation of genetically engineered plants and trees in the Municipality of Nelson and further that council will not purchase for its own operations GE plants or trees. The City of Nelson agrees to revisit this as pertinent new information becomes available that affects this resolution and further that the City of Nelson shall forward copies of the resolution to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Union of BC Municipalities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, CropLife Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, local MLA and MP offices and any interested and related groups for comment."

A more detailed outline of the resolution presented to the council is posted on the web site of Deconstructing Dinner an internationally syndicated radio show and Podcast that has been documenting the campaign since the group first met in November 2007. Many audio recordings of the campaign are found there including the campaign’s official launch with Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser. www.deconstructingdinner.ca

Contacts:
Jon Steinman, GE Free Kootenays / Kootenay Food Strategy Society:
250-352-6597
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Erin Nichols, Coordinator for the Society for a GE Free BC:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
604-742-0545