Arcata, California Set to Ban GE Crops

Eureka Times-Standard (California)

Arcata to move forward with anti-GMO ordinance
By Meghan Vogel The Times-Standard

Thursday, November 04, 2004 -

ARCATA -- The Arcata City Council unanimously voted to move forward with an
ordinance banning genetically modified crops in the city, which will be up
for final adoption on Nov. 17.

The ordinance was once again before the council on Wednesday night. The
city's Open Space/Agriculture Committee had recommended the city slow down
on the ordinance to gather more community input -- specifically more input
from the agricultural community. The council, however, felt the ordinance
was already solid, and recent improvements to its language have made it even
more so.

Arcata attorney Greg Allen, who requested the city look at such an
ordinance, said the adoption of such an ordinance was important not only for
Humboldt County, but for the rest of the state.

Milton Boyd, chair of the biological science department at Humboldt State
University, urged the city to slow down on the matter and proceed with
caution.

"It's clear that this is an issue with many aspects to it," Boyd said.

Other citizens disagreed with Boyd and urged the city to move forward.

"I would say we need to go forward with an ordinance ahead of a state
pre-emption that would ban anti-GMO ordinances," Jay Wright said.

Dave Henson, the director of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center and the
author of a similar anti-GMO initiative in Sonoma County, offered some
advice to the council. He said the council could either wait and fine-tune
Arcata's ordinance to make it even better, or move forward. There's no
question there will be contamination of certain crops from GMO crops, Henson
said, and pollen from genetically modified corn can travel up to three
miles. He also noted Marin, Trinity and Mendocino counties have similar laws
banning GMOs.

"By weighing in sooner you offer another piece in a struggle of who's going
to control the science of our genetics," Henson said.

Councilman Dave Meserve said the problem with GMO crops is that "they don't
stay put" and can contaminate other crops. He said the heart of Arcata's
ordinance is that it considers GMO crops to be a public nuisance. Meserve
said the ordinance is not intended to "bash science," and noted an exception
to the ordinance exists for contained laboratories.

Councilwoman Connie Stewart said ordinances can be modified as time goes on.
She also said such an ordinance could work toward the economic advantage of
the city because it could become a "GMO-free niche."

Councilman Michael Machi had concerns more local farmers had not weighed in
on the issue, and requested the council formally solicit their input.

City Attorney Nancy Diamond, who crafted the ordinance, said before a GMO
crop could be destroyed a judicial process would have to be enacted to seek
abatement. In addition, she said, there would have to be a "willful
violation before a criminal offense kicks in."

The city would also need consent or a warrant to obtain part of a suspected
GMO crop for testing. However, immediate abatement could take place if a
suspected GMO crop imposed an immediate threat to nearby property or to an
eco-system at large.

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