Largest Native American Tribe in California Bans GMOs
by Christina Sarich
The Yurok Tribe,
the largest Native American tribe in California, will join other
peoples such as those from Russia, Italy, and Germany in saying NO to
genetically modified organisms. The tribe has just announced that it
is implementing a ban on all GM crops and GM animals. [1]
A committee meant to review the Yurok Tribe Genetically Engineered
Organism (GEO) Ordinance, which was first allowed public comment, has
now been enacted this December, 2015.
The Tribal GEO Ordinance prohibits the propagation, raising,
growing, spawning, incubating, or releasing of genetically engineered
organisms (such as growing GMO crops or releasing genetically engineered
salmon) within the Tribe’s territory and declares the Yurok Reservation
to be a GMO-free zone. It is the first ordinance of its kind in the
Nation.
This tribe previously tried to protect their land and rivers from genetically modified salmon, and now have decided that all GM crops and animals pose a serious threat.
