Town to Town Campaign on Genetic Engineering
This page contains resources on organizing a municipal campaign against genetic engineering in your town, and information on decisions that citizens have made on genetic engineering at their town meetings.
June 2006 News Release: Nine Massachusetts Towns Vote Against Genetic Engineering By NOFA/Mass
Massachusetts Towns against Genetic Engineering
1. Voting Results of 2006 Town-to-Town Campaign on Genetic Engineering in Western Massachusetts (PDF)
2. Massachusetts Towns that Have Passed Resolutions Opposing Genetic Engineering of Crops (PDF)
Educational Resources
3. Current Videos On Genetic Engineering (PDF)
4. Questioning Genetic Engineering by ISE Biotechnology Project (PDF)
5. The Myth and Necessity of GM Free Zones by Jeffrey Smith (PDF)
Organizing Resources
6. Report from April 23, 2006 Strategy Meeting (DOC)
7. Organizing an Annual Town Meeting Campaign in Massachusetts (PDF)
8. Reaching out to Farmers in Your Community (doc)
9. Vermont Towns Vs. Genetic Engineering- A Guide to Reclaiming Our Democracy by ISE Biotechnology Project (PDF)
10. Educational Films On Genetic Engineering (DOC)
11. Get in touch with your local town officials (HTML)
12. Comprehensive alphabetical list of every town in Massachusetts governed by Town Meeting, both Open Town Meeting and Representative Town Meeting (HTML)
Examples of Resolutions that Have Passed in Massachusetts
13. Resolution adopted by Amherst, Mass Town Meeting on May 8, 2006 (DOC)
14. Resolution adopted by Charlemont, Mass Town Meeting on May 1, 2006 (DOC)
Join the Massachusetts Town-to-Town Campaign on Genetic Engineering To Pass a Resolution Against Genetic Engineering in Your Town!
Posted 1/5/2006
Since 2002, one hundred and twelve towns and cities in New England have passed resolutions opposing genetic engineering in food and farming. Last year, nine more Massachusetts towns passed similar resolutions, bringing the total number of Massachusetts towns opposing genetic engineering to twenty-one. This widespread advocacy at town meetings across New England is one of the most promising signs that we can stop the biotech industry from hijacking the world's food supply.
We at the Massachusetts Town-to-Town Campaign on Genetic Engineering would like to invite you to organize a resolution against genetic engineering at your next town meeting. Since 2002, we have educated the public about the threats of genetic engineering to food safety and local food security, and empowered people to use local government to raise their voices and find solutions to these problems. By passing resolutions against genetic engineering in your town meeting, you will be educating your community about this common threat, providing a model of grassroots political engagement, and building political support to change policy at the state and federal levels. We will support your local activities to educate your town about genetic engineering and local governance. We can provide:
* An informational packet on how to get your town to pass a resolution opposing genetic engineering.
* Public speakers that can come to speak to your community group about the threat of genetic engineering and how you can help stop it by getting involved with the campaign.
* Various educational documentaries that speak to different audiences on the different aspects of genetic engineering.
* Resources on finding alternatives to genetic engineering in your local public school system such as "farm to school programs" that provide local and organic food for school.
Recent events only underscore the importance of these efforts. It surfaced this summer that biotech giant Bayer CropScience recklessly contaminated the rice crop of U.S. Rice farmers with an unapproved genetically engineered rice variety. According to the Center for Food Safety, Bayer may be liable for $150 million in market losses suffered by U.S. farmers, because many European countries have rejected the contaminated rice. The affected farmers have filed 15 class-action lawsuits against the company.
After the contamination episode came to light, the USDA once again demonstrated its willing collusion with the biotech industry by simply approving the untested rice for sale. Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director of the Center for Food Safety said, "In effect, USDA is sanctioning an 'approval-by-contamination' policy that can only increase the likelihood of untested genetically engineered crops entering the food supply in the future, and further erode trust in the wholesomeness of U.S. food overseas."
This story illustrates the biotech industry's unrelenting push to market its product no matter how it harms farmers, seed savers, and public health. Indeed, Bayer's contamination of rice is just one outrage out of many committed by a global industry that is out of control. Even outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has recently warned of "catastrophic" results from the rapid and unregulated emergence of new biotechnologies. He said, "As biological research expands, and technologies become increasingly accessible, this potential for accidental or intentional harm grows exponentially."
But if the threats of biotechnology are on a global scale, it is equally true that some of the best solutions available to us can be found through our own local town governments. But we can't do it without you. For our campaign to succeed, we need people from all walks of life, people like you, to organize in your communities.
To get more information about the campaign, its past successes, and its goals visit:
http://www.nofamass.org/programs/townmeeting.php
To get involved, contact me by email (ben.grosscup@nofamass.org) or telephone (413-658-5374) and I will get you started.
Towards a GMO-Free Future,
Ben Grosscup, Coordinator Massachusetts Town-to-Town Campaign on Genetic Engineering
Northeast Organic Farming Association, Massachusetts Chapter
22 High St #1
Amherst, MA 01002
413-658-5374
ben.grosscup@nofamass.org
Thanks to the Solidago Foundation for a grant that is helping us continue our work this year.
This page was last modified on December 02, 2008 at 10:10:38 AM.
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