Rincon-Vitova Insectaries Supports

Our Right to Know

The California Genetically Engineered Food Act of 2012, Ballot Proposition 37, is a simple bill to label genetically engineered food sold in grocery stores in California, just like they're labeled for consumers in over 60 countries around the world. GMO crops are grown with toxic pesticides that cause cancer and birth defects. GMO food has not been safety tested on humans. Limited studies on animals suggest problems.

Big pesticide companies are spending one million dollars a day to confuse California voters about Prop 37. Monsanto and Dupont Chemical are the biggest donors with BASF, Bayer, Dow and Syngenta amounting to over $20 million. $20 million more comes from Pepsico, Nestle, CocaCola and friends.

For the facts about Prop 37, we offer debunking. There are exemptions written in the law for common sense considerations that have been misrepresented. It won't raise food costs, won't add red tape or bureaucracy or burden retailers, there are no incentives for lawsuits, and it is supported by thousands of California farmers, all leading businesses in the natural and sustainable food sector, and all leading labor groups.

To learn more about why labeling is important, watch the new documentary Genetic Roulette by Jeffrey Smith for free until election day on geneticroulettemovie.com. In it, many health professionals talk about how their patients get better when they stop eating GMO food. Jeffrey Smith spoke here at Ventura College along with Dr. Robyn Bernhoft, M.D. of Ojai, diplomat with Academy of Environmental Medicine. They explained peer reviewed scientific studies showing health risks from eating GMOs, including a a new, first-time long-term animal study.

We took a company stand against GMO crops in 1997 through the insights we learned from our founder (and father/father-in-law) Everett (Deke) Dietrick. Deke helped farmers transition from toxic pesticides to biological pest control. Now we are helping people avoid pesticides that are genetically engineered into food.

The deregulation of GMO Roundup Ready Alfalfa on January 20, 2011 was a turningpoint. Deke had worked for many years helping farmers manage alfalfa to supply beneficial insects to manage pests in neighboring cotton, corn and vegetables. Spraying Roundup on entire fields makes the crop weak and susceptible to disease and damages beneficial insect habitat. It's also hard on soil microbes, decreasing the vitality of the crop and the value of the alfalfa for fixing nitrogen. Read more

When we met Pamm Larry, the grassroots organizer for the ballot initiative, we jumped into the campaign. Acres USA printed Jan's impressions from Spring 2012. Once on the ballot, we've been writing letters and some great articles, speaking at colleges, showing movies, and educating at fairs and festivals. We're in some videos. Ron was in debates in Santa Maria (video) (text) and at the Oxnard Rotary (text).

With one week left, the polling is very close. We urge you to support Prop 37 at yeson37.org to label GMO food through donations, phone banking and social networking. Contact us if you want more information at 805-643-5407 or bugnet@rinconvitova.com.

Jan Dietrick, MPH, President

Ron Whitehurst, PCA, Secretary

Co-Owners of Rincon-Vitova Insectaries, Inc.

and the D-Vac Company

805-643-3640