30th Annual Winter Conference Recap and Call to Action

Our Winter Conference last Saturday the 3rd had nearly 600 attendees, our biggest turnout yet!  It was a wonderful event, packed with workshops, vendors, and a great keynote speech by Jeffrey M. Smith.  This week we've been reviewing incoming evaluations from the event, and have had overwhelmingly positive feedback.  If you attended the conference we'd like to give you our most heartfelt thanks for being a part of our largest event of the year and helping to make it really special and momentous. And if you volunteered with us, we want you to know that this event could not have run so smoothly without you.  Thanks to everyone for your continued commitment to local sustainable food and to our mission to provide reliable access to that food for our communities.

Jeffrey M. Smith during his keynote

The big issues discussed at this year's conference are very important.  It is critical that everyone take action and make their voice heard in order to pass legislation currently being discussed in Hartford.  Preventing the repeal of the school pesticide ban and passing the GMO labeling bill are two initiatives that we need your support on in order to succeed.

You have the opportunity to let your state and Federal legislators know that you want to know what is in your food.  

There are at least three levels of GMO labeling initiatives you can be a part of:

1. A Letter from Congress to ask the FDA to label GMOs. Ask your Representative and Senators to sign on.
Click here for an easy pre-written way to let congress know that you want to know what's in your food. Senator Barbara Boxer (CA) and Representative Peter DeFazio (OR) have authored a bicameral Congressional letter and will be urging their fellow Members on Capitol Hill to sign onto their letter.

2. A petition to FDA asking them to label GMOs.
A legal petition (Docket # FDA-2011-P-0723-0001/CP) has been filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling on the FDA to label genetically engineered (GE) foods. Visit JustLabelIt.org to learn more and to sign!

3. The Connecticut Bill to label GMOs which is closest to home.
The Bill, Officially called HB 5117: An Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Foods, is picking up momentum! Representative Roy first introduced the bill in mid-February and since then several legislators from both parties have expressed support, and Jeffrey Smith was invited to speak on the issue at the Capitol Building on March 2. Now we need Connecticut's consumers and voters to show their support! To find your legislator, click here. You can write your own letter to them, or send ours.

And for those who want to attend something in person:
CT GMO Labeling Bill Informational Meeting and Q&A
What Are GMOs and What Does the Bill Mean for Consumers?
Saturday, March 10, 10-12 noon
Pequot Library, Southport, CT
free and open to the public

Please also contact your state representatives to let them know that you want your children to play on school grounds that are free of chemicals, and that overturning the school pesticide ban is therefore unacceptable.  Working together we can turn the tide of sentiment in our favor.

Two volunteers in yellow participate
in the potluck lunch

If you are working up an appetite from contacting your state representative, check out some recipes from the Winter Conference's potluck lunch we've posted here.  These recipes are centered around winter food, specifically greens, and are a great way to tide yourself over before the heart of planting season begins.  Thanks to Chef John Turenne, farmer Wayne Hansen and Dr. Leigh White for providing these delicious ideas!

Don't forget to check out the pictures of our conference online!

Have a wonderful day!

Connecticut's Legislative Session Has Definitely Begun

There are so many things going on this week! I'm writing from the Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care in New Haven.  It's been a great class so far, we have about 40 students and have learned about soil biology, fertilizers, rain gardens, planting, mulches, meadows and organic turf management!

GMO-Labeling Bill:

A very exciting bill was just introduced in the Connecticut House of Representatives. HR Bill 5117 is an "Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Foods."  We're working on creating an online petition, but you can look up your legislator here and let them know that you have the right to know exactly what is in your food, exactly what you are eating and if it is harmful or potentially harmful.  Read our Executive Director, Bill Duesing's initial message about the legislation on Connecticut Environmental Headlines. Stay tuned for more information on how to take action and support this legislation.

Reversal of the School Pesticide Ban:

A very discouraging bill was also introduced to the House of Representatives.  Maybe in the same letter to your representative you might want to address the "Act Modifying the Ban on Pesticide Applications on School Grounds" or House Bill 5155.  This bill is designed to undo the pesticide ban on school grounds and playing fields at K-8 schools.  

That's right.  There is a bill in our state to reverse a law passed to protect Connecticut's children.  

Transitioning to organic is not easy, and Connecticut's groundskeepers have required more support to successfully make their school grounds pesticide free and beautiful. It would be easier, of course to just go back to how it used to be, and expose every child ages 5- 14 to chemicals used to kill other living things like insects, grubs and soil organisms.  

Both of these bills come down to our right to our health.  I don't care if genetically modified foods, foods treated with pesticides, and direct exposure to pesticides might be okay for me.  That's not enough.  These are our bodies, our children, and our future.  It is unconscionable to expose children to chemicals that might cause respiratory disorders, cancer, and reproductive issues later in their lives.

The potential health threats of GMOs are extensive but I'll leave it to the experts like Jeffrey Smith (who will be speaking on March 3 at CT NOFA's Winter Conference) to explain these risks. The point is that if there is any question about it's safety (and when it comes to GMOs and pesticides, there is beyond a question) then the public needs to be fully aware of the risks, and there needs to be a way for them to avoid these risks.

That is why we need your help. Please contact your representative, talk to your friends, and let's establish our right to healthy bodies and futures.

Best,
Kristiane