The letter to the Butte County Board of Supervisors was sent by ASPB President Roger Hangarter, Professor at Indiana University, and ASPB Committee on Public Affairs Chair Pamela Ronald, Professor at the University of Californa, Davis.
Following is the ASPB letter sent to the Butte County Board of Supervisors:
October 7, 2004
Supervisor RJ Beeler
Supervisor Jane Dolan
Supervisor Mary Anne Houx
Supervisor Curt Josiassen
Supervisor Kim Yamaguchi
Butte County Board of Supervisors
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
Dear Supervisors Beeler, Dolan, Houx, Josiassen and Yamaguchi:
The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), urges you and your fellow voters in Butte County to vote "no" on proposed Butte County ordinance Measure D in November. Passage of Measure D would mark a historic step backwards for science and agriculture for Butte County and for the state.
As you know, Measure D on the Butte County November ballot would declare that the propagation, cultivation, raising and growing of genetically engineered organisms in Butte County constitute a public nuisance pursuant to the existing Butte County code. Further, the proposed ordinance would provide that the growing of genetically engineered organisms does not constitute "Legitimate Agricultural Operations," which are exempted from the type of activities that can be designated as a public nuisance, pursuant to the county code.
The proposed ordinance would define "genetically e
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Contact: Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
301-251-0560
American Society of Plant Biologists
7-Oct-2004