National Coalition of Organized Women
From Laboring Women to Labor Unions, We Move as One
ncowmail@aol.com
917 804-0786

From the desk of the director:

Feb 23, 2005
Re: HF 202

The full investment in biotechnology by the United States is a national security risk. HF 202 seeks to enhance that risk.

HF 202 seeks to prohibit local governments from banning genetically engineered agriculture thereby precluding an agricultural alternative in case of an agricultural collapse due to the relative new, untested science of biotechnology.

Biotechnology as a science:
The argument must be made that if the new science of biotechnology is a "science" then it must adhere to the traditional "scientific methods" in which the designated "control group" is inviolable. The "control group" in the national biotechnology experiment is the organic/sustainable paradigm.

Findings:
It is well documented that the new science of genetic engineering employs seed sterilizing technology known as "terminators". In addition, genetically engineered organisms, herein referred to as GMOs are known to contaminate non-GMO fields. It is further recognized that in the case of an inherent agricultural collapse (IAC) or the remote chance of agricultural bioterrorism levied against GMO crops that there be readied and available an emergency alternative food system.

Organic Agriculture as a Control Group:
It is recommended that the sustainable agriculture department defined within the University Land Grant system be government funded not less than equal to the biotechnology department or any other program concerned with the new science of biotechnology; that Corporate research firms which fund University research and education holding patents on biotechnology, provide equal funding to the sustainable agriculture department of each Land Grant University in order to secure maintain its control group for the purpose of national food safety. In addition, it is recommended for national food security to set aside certain areas per State to be designated as "safe Islands".

Agricultural Bioterrorism or Inherent Agricultural Collapse (IAC):
In the remote chance of a genetically engineered based agricultural failure, collapse or bioterrorsim assault, agricultural "safe islands" would provide significant seed cultivation, seed saving, soil preservation, and readiness to supply emergency seeds and food sources on uncontaminated and ecologically preserved land. It is recommended that the biotechnology and sustainable departments of the Land Grant Universities propose a model to each State that would insure the inviolability of the control group (herein termed safe islands) committed to the food security of the nation as it pertains to uncontaminated, naturally evolved, traditional, time honored, organic and sustainable crops. Funded, designated "safe islands" would serve as an alternative food source in case of a State or

National emergency.
Safe Island Bill: In conclusion, we thank the sponsors of HF202 for bringing this potential local, state and national food security risk to our awareness. It is recommended that HF202 be deleted and a new bill be introduced to provide for national food security at various levels of local, state and national control; biotech/sustainable department Land Grant University funding.

---Eileen Dannemann, director, NCOW