LAKEPORT – Plans to form a Genetically Engineered (GE) Crops Advisory Committee to hammer out the details of an ordinance concerning GE agriculture in Lake County are off to a rocky start, after Lake County Supervisors Rob Brown and Denise Rushing proposed a framework Tuesday for the work group.
After heated debate, the board adopted a framework to form the 13-member committee that would include two conventional farming representatives, two organic farming representatives, two members of the science community, two members from agriculture support/services, one business representative and two members at large. The deadline to apply for membership is Dec. 10, and the board planned tentatively to consider a list of recommended members Dec. 16.
Responding to the Lake County Farm Bureau”s recommendation that Greg Giusti, Forest and Wildlands Ecology Advisor for Mendocino and Lake counties with the University of California Cooperative Extension, and Lake County Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik participate in committee meetings in an advisory capacity, Kelseyville organic walnut grower Phil Murphy asked the board to reconsider.
“I can see the utility of having the ag commissioner there to answer questions, even though he has expressed a very strong bias in one direction on this issue already. He also has a personal animosity toward some of the people that have been in the move to get this ban in place, so I think that should also be taken into consideration,” Murphy said.
Murphy has been a member of the Lake County Coalition for Responsible Agriculture, which brought a proposed ban on GE alfalfa before the board in 2005. The ban failed in a 3-2 vote. The coalition advocated for the ban proposed earlier this year. Murphy told the board that Giusti was also “extremely biased,” having written papers against regulation of GE agriculture.
Brown said if the board accepted the bureau”s recommendation, Giusti and Hajik would not have voting power, but would participate in the meetings for informational purposes. Brown asked Murphy if anyone who demonstrated a bias on GE agriculture should be excluded from the committee”s process.
Murphy said Giusti”s expressed views and his “close work with the (GE) industry” would give him “essentially the same viewpoint” as a representative of Monsanto, a GE seed producer.
“Your approach is if they don”t agree with you then we shouldn”t have them,” Brown said.
“No, I have not said that,” Murphy said.
Brown and Murphy continued to talk at the same time, with Murphy recommending the board pick “less biased” advisors. Responding to Brown”s request for alternative names, Murphy recommended Rachel Elkins, Pomology Farm Advisor with the UC Davis Cooperative Extension.
“We can have a UC representative, and I don”t have a problem one way or the other, but right now, Greg (Giusti) is our advisor,” Brown said.
“He”s one of our advisors, Rob, one of them. I”m just asking that a little consideration be taken on that one appointment. That”s all I”m asking,” Murphy said.
Brown said Murphy had demonstrated “clear angst toward a lot of people” involved as well.
Board Chair Ed Robey said he used a similar ordinance in Santa Cruz County as a basis for the ban he withdrew earlier this month, and said he was not aware of Hajik”s bias at the time.
Neither Hajik nor Giusti was present to speak to the board.
“We did list the ag commissioner since he was listed as the regulatory agency because there are some regulatory issues that probably should be addressed,” Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director Chuck March said.
March said Giusti was recommended because he is the Lake County director of the UC system, but said the bureau would be open to consider another UC representative. Rushing said it would be preferable if an ag advisor could be found that both sides of the divisive issue could trust.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 37.
