June 2014

Opportunity to support Far North District Council proposed GMO Plan change

IMPORTANT GE Free Northland Action alert :)
 
On Thursday, 26 June, Far North District Council is meeting in Kaitaia to vote on the FNDC proposed District Plan change regarding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

This collaborative GMO plan change (with Whangarei District Council and Auckland Council) will create a zone from South Auckland right up to Cape Reinga where risky GMO releases are banned.  The GMO Plan change will also require any Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved outdoor GE experiments/field trials to be classed a Discretionary activity, subject to  additional local requirements in their local plans, in order to protect existing GM free conventional, IPM and organic farmers, local biosecurity, unique biodiversity and the environment in general.
 
 Far North Mayor John Carter and councillors supporting the FNDC proposed GMO collaborative plan change  well before the 26th of June, and Far North residents/ ratepayers to ring their Mayor and councillors asking them to vote for the Proposed GMO Plan change. 

Also, if they can, for Far North residents to please attend the 26 June FNDC full council meeting (GE agenda item) at Kaitaia's Te Ahu Centre supporting the proposed GMO Plan change.
 
Please Contact the FNDC Mayor and councillors before Thursday 26 June, shiowing your support for this excellent initiative

Monsanto sues tiny, rural, farming state of Vermont, USA

Just hours ago, Monsanto, an overseas multinational with a horrendous public health and environmental track record made a chilling decision.

Monsanto and its allies have just announced they're suing the tiny, rural U.S. state of Vermont to stop a new law that simply requires genetically engineered foods to be labeled. In fact, the mere threat of a multi-million dollar lawsuit nearly caused the state to back off the labeling law altogether.

But Vermont is refusing to back down -- and they’re asking for our help. They're getting ready to fight back against Monsanto, and have even created a legal defense fund so people around the world can make donations to help them beat back Monsanto’s lawsuit.

The SumOfUs community is already fighting Monsanto on every front, but we need to show Monsanto now that we won't be intimidated. We won't let Monsanto bully our elected officials into submission.  People worldwide are being asked to help Vermont stand up to Monsanto, and pass comprehensive GE labelling laws in their own countries.


ACTION ALERT from SUM OF US, United States

Vermont is a small, entirely rural state with just 600,000 people. Vermont vs. Monsanto, one of the most powerful corporations in the world, is a classic David and Goliath fight.

But there’s much more at stake here than just whether GMO foods will be labeled in a single U.S. state. Vermont is actually the very first state in the U.S. to require labeling, and dozens of other states have said they will require labeling as well -- but only if Vermont’s law can survive this legal challenge.