What Our Locals Say

"My family and I sincerely believe that food and wine purity issues will become more and more of a factor in selling and marketing fine wine. Sonoma County agriculture is in a unique position to leverage the diversity and wholesomeness of what it grows. We ask you to support the GE-Free initiative."

- Mike Benziger, Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen

"We are the owners of a 2000-acre dairy pasture farm in Sonoma County. We support the GE-Free initiative because we are concerned about protecting the integrity of the diverse species in our ecosystem."

- Joe and Kathy Tresch, Tresch Family Dairy Farm, Petaluma

"The Community Alliance with Family Farmers, one of California's oldest sustainable agriculture organizations, supports Measure M. We believe that heavily promoted and inadequately tested GE crops present a great threat to the environment and to human health. We also believe that organic farmers and even conventional farmers have a right to protect their crops from GE contamination. There is no need to subject our local environment and our own health to the consequences of these improperly tested and potentially harmful crops."

- George R. Davis, owner of Sonoma County's Porter Creek Vineyard and Vice President of Community Alliance with Family Farmers

"Genetic engineering is bad science," he said. "The technology is just not there right now to be safe. I don't want my farm to get contaminated by drift."

- Kevin McEnnis, organic farmer and owner of Quetzal Farm, Santa Rosa

"The Commercial Salmon Fishermen of California wholeheartedly support a measure in Sonoma County to ban genetically engineered products. Genetic engineering poses a danger to the economic value of our fisheries and to our coastal environment."

- Mike Hudson, President of the Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Association

"We are pleased to support progressive California communities fighting the release of genetically engineered foods and organisms and maintaining the integrity of organic foods."

- John W. Roulac, Nutiva President and founder
(Nutiva is a Northern California manufacturer of organic hemp and coconut food products)

"As chef, owner of Syrah Restaurant, and soon-to-be father, I think it is essential to address the issues of genetically engineered crops and animals."

- Josh Silvers, chef and owner of Syrah Restaurant

"We are very concerned that federal and state governments are planning to allow the release of dozens of new GE plants, fish, trees and bacteria into our farms, environment, and bodies. No long-term impacts studies have been done on GE organisms, and to date, none have been proven safe."

- Dave Henson, Director of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center