Richmond City Council Finalizes GE Free Zone

If you would like to work on a GE Free zone in your community, email us at gefreebc07@yahoo.com

Press Release

May 29, 2012. Vancouver. – Last night, Richmond City Council (British Columbia) unanimously confirmed a decision to make the city a GE Free Zone.

Following the initial unanimous decision by the General Purposes Committee on May 24, 250 Richmond residents turned out last night to support final approval at City Council. The biotechnology industry lobby group CropLife presented in a failed effort to dissuade councilors from approving the resolution.

Help stop Monsanto at Richmond Council tonite 7pm

This Tuesday Richmond Council voted unanimously at a general meeting, with the Mayor and all Councillors present, to pass a resolution to make Richmond the eighth GE free crop zone in B.C. The wording of the resolution is on the Richmond Council website, at http://www.richmond.ca/cityhall/council/agendas/gp/2012/052212_minutes.htm

Ten people spoke in favour of the resolution. This now has to go through the formal process of being passed at a Council meeting, which will happen on the 28th May at 7 p.m. at Richmond City Hall.

We’ve been informed that Crop Life, the Public Relations wing of Monsanto and other biotech companies, will be coming to the Council meeting on the 28th May. They have already begun their lobbying efforts to try and get Richmond Council to change its mind.

If you are in or near Richmond, please turn out for the meeting. Some Councillors may waver under corporate pressure, and a big turn out of the public will make all the difference and hold them firm to their decisions. Several Councillors spoke passionately about their concerns with genetic engineering, and a big public showing will give them more courage.

If Richmond becomes a GE zone this will have a really big impact on other parts of the Province. As a large municipality with about 200 farms and where GE corn is being grown, people will see that if this can be done in Richmond, it can be done anywhere in the Province.

Richmond City Council takes a stand against genetically engineered crops

Richmond, British Columbia, 22^nd May 2012

For general release

The Richmond Food Security Society and the Society for a Genetically Free (GE) BC would like to warmly congratulate Richmond City Council on its courageous stand against GE crops and trees at its General Meeting on the 22^nd May

ACTION ALERT: RICHMOND DEBATES GE FREE STATUS THIS TUESDAY

A committee of City Council will be debating the call for a GMO ban in Richmond on Tuesday at 4pm.

We need your help to make Richmond GE Free

Richmond City Council will be deciding, within about 3 weeks, whether to accept a resolution to declare itself a GMO-free zone.

The City’s official Agricultural Advisory Committee DID NOT support the resolution and so I’m turning to you.

Would you take a few seconds to sign this petition to show that this is an important issue not only for the residents of Richmond but for the entire province?

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/467/476/570/declare-richmond-bc-ge-free/

If you could forward the petition on to friends, that would be much appreciated to.

In solidarity,

GE Free BC Steering Committee