from - http://sanfrancisco.tribe.net/listing/b61d5789-6629-4912-a35c-2567d7806251 Speak out against aerial spraying - CDFA coming to town this week! Last week the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) made an official announcement that they intend to continue aerial spraying of pesticides over Monterey and Santa Cruz counties in June, and begin spraying over the Bay Area in August. Once implemented the spraying will occur every 30-90 days, for 9 months of every year, for at least 3-5 years to come. The proposed areas to be sprayed by air total 444,060 acres, 693.8 miles (see map www.hopefortruth.com/lbam_2008.jpg). <http://www.hopefortruth.com/lbam_2008.jpg%29.> And that doesn't include the vast acreage of ground treatments that allow them to enter private properties to attach chemical twist ties and traps in your organic gardens, and paint insecticide on trees and utility poles, all in easy reach of climbing children, pets, and other beneficial creatures. Hundreds of people have already been made ill by the spraying last Fall in Monterey and Santa Cruz (list of symptoms www.indybay.org/newsitems/...70272.php). <http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/05/18470272.php%29.> The CDFA is battling the little light brown apple moth (LBAM), not because it has the potential of eating us out of house and home, nor are they concerned about us not having enough to eat. Their eradication program has nothing whatsoever to do with public health and safety, but everything to do with trade. They worry about losing profits because of potential embargoes on California produce. They are not concerned about organic farmers, however, and organic standards are in the process of being diluted further. The CDFA will be holding "scoping" meetings to hear public comments regarding their Environmental Impact Review (EIR) process. Please be aware that the spraying is not dependent on completion of such a review, because they have declared a "State of Emergency", which gives them the right to overrule other regulations, such as local pesticide ordinances, private property laws, and health, safety, and environmental protection. You can demonstrate your concerns at the following meetings, which the CDFA is expected to attend. More meetings, organized by the CDFA, various city and county officials, and grassroots activists, in various communities are being added all the time. Please keep updated by checking out the calendar at www.lbamspray.com/calendar.htm <http://www.lbamspray.com/calendar.htm> If you haven't done so already, please scroll down to the links on the bottom of this mail to sign the petition opposed to aerial spraying, and vote in the polls. CDFA "scoping" meetings: Monterey Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 6:00 -- 8:00 p.m. Monterey Peninsula College Lecture Forum 103 980 Fremont Street Monterey, CA 93940 Santa Cruz Thursday, February 21, 2008, 6:00 -- 8:00 p.m. University Inn & Conference Center Sierra & Dawn Room 611 Ocean Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 San Francisco Monday, February 25, 2008, 6:00 -- 8:00 p.m. San Francisco County Fair Building Auditorium Golden Gate Park 9th Avenue & Lincoln Way San Francisco, CA 94122 Oakland Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 6:30 -- 8:30 p.m. Ellis M Harris State Building Auditorium 1515 Clay St. Oakland, CA 94612 Oral and written comments will be accepted. The deadline for written comments is March 20, 2008. They may be sent to: Jim Rains, Staff Environmental Scientist CA Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services 1220 N Street, Room A-316 Sacramento, CA 95814 LBAM on the agenda at City Council meetings: Oakland Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 7pm Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza (14th St. Between Clay and Broadway) Hearing Room 1 Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee considers a resolution against aerial spraying proposed by Councilmembers Brunner and Reid (draft resolution: clerkwebsvr1.oaklandnet.com/atta....pdf) <http://clerkwebsvr1.oaklandnet.com/attachments/18426.pdf%29> Berkeley Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 7pm 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley CDFA presentation scheduled at Berkeley City Council meeting To prepare for talking with the CDFA, and to hear from grassroots opposition to the pesticide program: San Leandro East Bay Pesticide Alert/Don't Spray California presents: Who's afraid of the Light Brown Apple Moth? Sunday, February 24, 2008, 1:30-3:30pm Zocalo Coffeehouse 645 Bancroft Ave @ Dutton, San Leandro *(scent-free please) www.eastbaypesticidealert.org/ <http://www.eastbaypesticidealert.org/> Have you signed the petition against the spraying? www.stopthespray.org/ <http://www.stopthespray.org/> Voted in the poll in the Marin Independent Journal? www.marinij.com/marin/ci_8257611 <http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_8257611> And the one on About.com? sanfrancisco.about.com/b/2008...rea.htm <http://sanfrancisco.about.com/b/2008/02/16/aerial-spraying-over-san-francisco-bay-area.htm> -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara