Sonoma County Vote Success Leads to Largest GMO Free Zone in US

Posted on Nov 10 2016 - 6:01am by Sustainable Pulse

Sonoma County in California has passed Measure M to ban GMO crop cultivation – YES 55.9% to NO 44.1%. The successful vote on Measure M, which took place on the same day as the U.S. presidential election, means that the largest ever U.S. GMO Free Zone has now been formed.

Source: vote.sonoma-county.org

Sonoma County joins Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Santa Cruz and Trinity Counties, and bridges the largest GMO Free Zone in the United States – an amazing 13,734 square miles.

The success of the vote came despite a concerted effort by the Biotech Industry to block Measure M.  In October documents filed with the Sonoma County Clerk revealed that Biotech companies funded the committee named ‘No on M- Sponsored and Opposed by farmers, ranchers, and agricultural technology companies’.

Karen Hudson, Yes on M campaign manager stated; “The fact is, more and more people want non-GMO food, and our local farms have a right to grow without contamination. It’s that simple.”

Measure M, also known as The Sonoma County Transgenic Contamination Ordinance, was a simple measure to protect local farms, pastures, and cover crops from contamination by genetically modified plant pollen by prohibiting the growing and raising of genetically modified organisms in Sonoma County.

Sonoma County has a reputation for pure agricultural products. Organic and traditional farms that are non-GMO represent a critical sector of the local economy, with 80% of Sonoma County dairies being certified organic.

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2 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Richard Barrett November 20, 2016 at 17:16 - Reply

    At the end of 2017, have the honey tested for toxins in all GMO FREE zones compared to the surrounding areas. Then inform all consumers by all ways possible what the results are.

  2. Nancy Truesdale November 21, 2016 at 04:29 - Reply

    Does this include wine farmers too? At least five large vineyards’ wine is laced with glyphosate. I don’t drink California wine anymore because of this.

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