Anti-biotech measures defeated by voters

California Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Pauli, right, looks on as Kiran Black, CFBF political affairs manager, and John Gamper, CFBF director of taxation and land use, track early election returns.

With family farmers leading the way, two county initiatives aimed at banning the use of agricultural biotechnology were soundly defeated on Election Day. A third measure in Humboldt County was deemed so ill-worded it was abandoned even by its authors before voters went to the polls, and also failed.

Voters in Butte County rejected the anti-biotech measure put before them by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent. In San Luis Obispo County, the anti-biotech initiative failed to pass by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent.

Experts said that the overall results of last week's vote on proposed biotech bans sends a strong signal across the nation that voters in high-production farm counties aren't willing to reject the technology.

California Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Pauli said, "First, we thank voters for supporting the family farmers of Butte and San Luis Obispo counties in defeating these measures.

"Family farmers take great pride in growing healthy and affordable food for consumers," Pauli said. "Biotech crops promise new ways for family farmers to keep pace with changing consumer trends and needs. Research also offers hope that agriculture can play a role in producing medicines to fight life-threatening diseases."

Pauli noted that biotech crops undergo years of scientific testing and thoughtful regulatory review before being made available. In the future these crops will provide even greater reductions in pesticide use, improved water and air quality and a reduction in the energy needed to produce food and fiber.

The majority of soybeans, cotton and canola grown in the United States today are biotech. Other biotech crops include seed corn and small amounts of sweet corn, summer squash and papaya.

"Voters in Butte and San Luis Obispo counties recognize that biotechnology promises healthy crops that benefit consumers, farmers and the environment," Pauli stressed.

Although no biotech crops are grown in Marin County, a measure banning the increasingly important technology passed there. Marin County Farm Bureau President Henry Grossi, a Marshall cattle rancher, told local reporters the ban is "really unwise, and unneeded. It's going to take a lot of time and money and staff from our agricultural commissioner, and this will take away other important programs."

"While we're encouraged by the failure of most of the anti-biotech measures, we're disappointed by passage of the Marin County initiative," Pauli said. "As we saw in Butte and San Luis Obispo counties, voters will reject these measures if we can provide them enough information about biotechnology's benefits and safety to make an informed decision."

ýauli pledged that Farm Bureau will continue to work to educate Californians about the promise of this maturing technology. He said a significant development for farmers is that discussion about agricultural biotechnology during the campaign heightened the general public's awareness of the role farming and ranching plays in local communities.

Butte County olive grower Jamie Johansson, who helped lead Butte County Farm Bureau's efforts to defeat the anti-biotech measure there, said, "One of the frustrations during the past four months has been trying to talk to people about one of the most important agricultural technologies to have emerged in decades, only to find myself talking about conflict and politics.

"We need to build understanding about this technology based on sound science, not create political division," he said.

Butte County Farm Bureau leaders said their intensive efforts to increase understanding about biotech paid off as voters came to recognize that the technology is here to stay and is being responsibly managed, pointing out that it's not new and already is a large and growing part of modern agriculture-in California and throughout the world.

In addition to support from CFBF and Pauli, the campaign against Butte's Measure D also got support from American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, who attended a Chico fund-raising event during the campaign to defeat Measure D.

Butte County Farm Bureau Vice President Ryan Schohr, also a leader in the campaign to defeat Measure D, said, "Results of the Butte County vote prove that residents recognize the opportunities and advantages the technology presents and understand that the technology and research are here to stay."

"Another significant aspect of the county campaigns to prevent the banning of biotech crops is that the effort brought together farmers who grow a variety of crops and have diverse political interests," said Emily Robidart, CFBF associate director of field crops, taxation and farm policy.

"One important thing we learned is how much work needs to be done throughout the state to educate the public about the promise and management of this technology," Robidart said.

In San Luis Obispo County, Vince Ferrante, member of a fifth-generation San Luis Obispo County farming family and chairman of the campaign to defeat Measure Q-the anti-biotech measure in that county-said the successful outcome at the polls was a show of support both for agriculture and the growing biotechnology industry in his county.

"From the beginning we were concerned about the way Measure Q was crafted-in a hurry and without input from our local farming or biotech companies," he said. "The measure would have threatened traditional farming, restricted research on lifesaving medicines and limited Cal Poly's ability to provide 'learn by doing' opportunities.

"We've worked hard to protect San Luis Obispo County's healthy future," Ferrante said. "We know the issue of genetic engineering is still a lingering concern with many people, and we look forward to working together to resolve those issues and educate residents on the safety of these new technologies as we farm into the future."

Supporters of biotech bans have pledged to continue their efforts.

Activists are organizing campaigns to ban the use of biotechnology in several California cities and counties, with Sonoma and Santa Barbara counties the furthest along in those efforts.