The Lake County Genetically Modified Organisms advisory committee met Monday, May 18 in the supervisors” chambers with input from citizens and Anita Grant, Lake County Counsel.
Grant informed the committee that the Lake County Supervisors will expect a report on the GMO committee”s progress August 18.
The committee”s goal, as stated in their minutes from April 27, is “through common consensus make a simplified recommendation regarding GE crops that addresses underlying factors and that is fair to all of Lake County.”
The committee came to a consensus to hold meetings every other Monday at 6:30 p.m. until August 19. A meeting was held June 1 and subsequently on June 15, June 29, July 13, July 27, and August 10. The meeting time was changed to 6:30 p.m. to accommodate working farmers.
Grant reminded the committee that the GMO advisory committee meetings operate on a consensus basis and are open to the public, subject to the Brown Act.
Consensus may be hard to reach, depending on the size and philosophies of the group, Grant commented. Committee members agreed. Broc Zoller, a committee member who has a Ph.D. and works as a “pear doctor” and agricultural adviser, made a joke that the committee should be locked up in a room until the members reach consensus.
Grant also interrupted the meeting to lay down guidelines that need to be in place. One correction she made several times is not to accept comments on subjects that are not part of the agenda.
The committee, led by chairman Marc Hooper, first tackled the subject of disclosure.
Hooper admitted he voted against the GMO ban when living in Mendocino County.
Hooper said of his employers, Lyman Company, “They are not putting pressure on me to do anything.”
Information had been circulating among other committee members that the Monsanto Company backed Western Plant Health Association, a company connected to Lyman Company, hired people to squash GMO bans.
In a telephone interview Hooper said Monsanto is one of 100 companies that sells products through Lyman Company.
A lively discussion took place concerning Roundup ready plants and weed killer. All crops are experiencing problems with plants that have developed resistance to Roundup, according to Broc Zoller.
Weeds are developing resistance to Roundup Ready Spray, and in a genetically modified creation called Roundup Ready plants, each cell of the plant contains insecticides, according to the committee.
After each sub-committee gave its report, the members of the public raised their hands to give input.
Dr. John Zebelean, a retired NASA physicist who studies and attends environmental meetings, was a part of the public input participants and answered a question by saying it is true that that there are no studies or research by the government about the health effects of eating genetically modified products.
Dr Zebelean added later in an interview that GMO products may contain bacteria and viruses which would then make them qualify as drugs, but the FDA has not tested them for safety.
He said that by law the public has information about the ingredients in food they buy on the packages containing the food, but members of the public do not have the ingredients listed in GMOs we eat. Some GMOs have animal enzymes attached to plants, according to Zebellean.
Organization For Materials Research (OMRI), a company that makes products used by organic farmers, does use genetically altered oil, according to specialty grower and Mendocino Community College agricultural instructor Sky Hoyt. Hoyt is a committee member.
Various Countries in Europe, including France, Germany, Belgium, and others, are discussing issues and deciding not to accept GMO products from the United States, according to sub-committee members studying GMO marketing factors.
Melissa Fulton put public input on the agenda for the next meeting.
Haji Warf, a property owner who regularly attends the GMO advisory Committee meetings, kept asking about the residue GE crops leave in the soil. No committee member responded to her questions.
Another member of the public input participants, Sara Ryan, Environmental Director for Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, spoke in favor of keeping native plants and resources in their original natural state without genetic modifications and without the possibility of being influenced by GMO pollen and drift.
The committee will meet again Monday June 15, 2009, in the supervisors” chambers of the Lake County Courthouse.
Joan Moss is a local writer and musician with an interest in the county GMO issue.
