Citizens petition to reject GMO's on County Open Space

We are looking for Citizens of Boulder County Colorado only to sign our petition.  We appreciate others interest but we want to focus on Boulder County residents at this time!

If you have signed the printed version of this petition you should not sign this as it would be a duplicate. 

After signing this petition please write the County Commissioners directly at commissioners@co.boulder.co.us  they will be voting on August 25th 2009 on this issue.

Boulder County Parks and Open Space evaluated the GMO Sugar Beet recommendation in light of its sustainability goal, which considers three components:  Environmental, Economic and Social implications.

Here's what we think:

Environmentally Sustainable? NO

• GMO Sugar Beets create a dependency on one supplier - Monsanto. 
  
  
  
  
• Monsanto prohibits farmers from saving any seed.  Single sourcing of seed leads to a significant reduction in biodiversity and creates monopolistic practices.
  
  
  
  
• GMO Sugar Beets require year in/year out use of synthetic chemical herbicides - this is toxic to the land.
  
  
  
  
• Weeds tend to develop resistance over time, requiring introduction of new, more powerful chemicals.
  
  
  
  
• The current recommendation mandates a 50 ft buffer between sprayed areas and water. The county does not require this buffer zone around Boulder's irrigation ditches, (irrigation water flows throughout the county and feeds other bodies of water and sometimes ends up back in our streams) 
  
  
  
  
• Monsanto does not permit any third-party testing of its GMO seeds.  The true long-term environmental impacts of GMO's are unknown in the absence of any objective testing.

Economically Sustainable? NO

• According to Jim England, Food and Agriculture Policy Council Vice Chair, neither the applicant farmers nor the staff have provided enough critical financial information such as a cost-benefit analysis of growing genetically modified crops, yet economic superiority is the basis of the farners' request.
  
  
  
  
• Monsanto forces annual re-purchasing of its patented GMO seeds either through engineering plants which will not produce seeds, or placing legal prohibitions on saving seeds.
  
  
  
  
• GMO farming is totally out of sync with what appears to be the future of food: local, fresh, nutritional and organic.  Instead of being shackled to Monsanto, shouldn't we be linking our Boulder County Open Space to more economically viable, desirable crops?
  
  
  
  
• Data regarding GMO crop yields is inconsistent. Objective research is almost impossible since Monsanto controls both studies and release of results.
  
  
  
  
• History is full of products deemed safe prior to comprehensive testing:  cigarettes, DDT, Red Dye 2, PCBs, thalidomide, and asbestos. Years later our society is literally paying the high price for our damaged environment and health.
  
  
  
  
• Boulder has built a globally recognized and valued brand as natural and organic.  Compromising our standards taints that brand and jeopardizes the growth of our multi-billion dollar Naturally Boulder businesses.
  
  
  
  
• The Parks and Open Space Council's support of the recommendation hinges on the revenue ($60K) and stewardship these farmers provide to a stretched budget. There are a number of viable options to gain this revenue for the county.

Socially Sustainable? NO

• The science behind both sides of the argument is short-term and inconclusive.
  
  
  
  
• Without labeling, it is impossible to monitor the effects of GMOs on human health. Some hypothesize a link between GMO foods and the spike in allergies, autism and asthma.
  
  
  
  
• The European Union requires GM foods to be labeled so consumers can choose for themselves.  In 1999, Unilever, Nestle, Safeway, Asda (a UK division of Wal-Mart), McDonald's and Burger King committed to removing GM ingredients from their European stores.  Why can't we choose?
  
  
  
  
• Monsanto's selective block on objective research, while holding a monopoly which dictates production, is immoral.
  
  
  
  
• Boulderites are viewed as leaders and visionaries who can, have and will continue to change the world.  Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean it's right or prudent.
  
  
  
  
• GMOs on our Open Space would conflict with our values for healthful, outdoor living and affect Boulder's reputation as a social leader and epicenter for Natural and Organic.