voters just approved a ban on genetically modified crops and organisms in sonoma county. 









the ban passed by a margin of nearly 12%. the future and sustainability of sonoma county agriculture was also at hand during the contest race between organic farmer linda hopkins and former state senator noreen evans for the district five board of supervisors seat. 









with the financial support of many people in the farming and wine industry, won with 54.1% of the vote, a margin of about 2,500 votes. 









hopkins will be the first woman to represent the fifth district on the board of supervisors. the board will be majority-female for the first time in history. 









hopkins will gain the seat and replace efren carrillo. 









sonoma county is the sixth california county to ban gmos, joining santa cruz, mendocino, humboldt, trinity, and marin. 









this is a big win for anti-gmo advocates because sonoma county connects marin county to mendocino, humboldt, and trinity. this means that the ban creates a 13,734-square foot zone where genetically engineered plants cannot be grown. this is the largest such area in the united states. 









this is a major victory for a movement that has seen mixed results in local and nation-wide efforts to ban gmo crops in other states. several counties in hawaii have passed gmo bans that have been overturned by federal judges. there have been many examples of this happening throughout the united states. in 20114, a ban in josephine county, oregon was found invalid because it conflicted with state law. yet a ban in jackson county, oregon remains in force because jackson was exempted from the aforementioned state law. 









according to hudson, farmers who are now growing gmos will be able to continue growing for the current season as a grace period until the ban begins. if a farm already purchased seed for the following year, he or she will be allowed to plant that year as well. 









yet tuesday night did not bring victory for all measures. in healdsburg, measure t, a ballot measure to eliminate water fluoridation, secured only 41% of the vote. 









this was the second time in two years that the people of healdsburg were rejected a fluoride ban. 









while the water in healdsburg is fluoridated, the rest of sonoma county<u+2019>s water is not. 









as people become increasingly aware about the health risks of eating gmo food, more and more counties are fighting to ban gmo cultivation on their farmland. gmo plants are known to cross-pollinate with non-gmo plants, putting farmers at risk of losing crop and money. this ban is a step in the right direction for the protection of farmers and consumers alike. 










gmo cultivation banned in sonoma county
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