Los Angeles City Officials To Consider GMO Free Zone

The Los Angeles City Council has approved a proposal to ask the City Attorney’s office to draft a measure to make the city GMO free. The proposal, largely supported by council member Paul Koretz, would ban the sale and planting of any genetically modified seeds within the city boundaries, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. While acknowledging the vote would be largely symbolic due to the small amount of agriculture within the city, Koretz said “I want to see all 503 square miles of Los Angeles be a GMO-free growing zone.” The council approved the proposal that asked for a draft measure on a 13-1 vote. The lone vote in opposition was because the councilmember believed it w as beyond the city’s scope of authority.

Koretz said “let’s see what this does for our health, for soil health, for pollination — and let’s see what it does for economic development.” He has argued genetic modification reduces the diversity of seeds, makes food unsafe to eat and is linked to the decline of the bee population. The measure would also ban the planting and sale of fruit plants that are genetically modified.

Source:  NAFB News