Agribiz hits against Michael Allen - Local leaders respond

Guest opinion from Marin and Sonoma leaders:

October 26, 2012

 Response to Corporate Agribiz Smears Michael Allen

As proponents of sustainability, local agriculture and environmental protection in Marin and Sonoma Counties, we were shocked to see that an outside Agribiz lobbying group, backed by some of the worst polluters and offenders of health and safety standards for farmworkers, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on hit pieces against Assemblymember Michael Allen   

This group, Western Growers, has close ties to Monsanto, the chemical company pushing GMOs in our food and fighting Proposition 37, our right to know what is in the food we eat.  (See http://www.wga.com/western-growers-foundation-receives-30000-grant-monsanto-fund )

Michael Allen is a strong proponent of Proposition 37.

In the Legislature, he has worked for the environment, protection of wildlife and farmworkers rights and has fought efforts by Western Growers and other corporate agribiz  interests to prevent improved working conditions for those who toil in the growing fields of this State. His work has ensured that penalties are levied against polluters and he has authored legislation that more effectively protects and manages our State’s natural resources.

Assemblymember Allen has fought to protect Marin and Sonoma Counties and the state from corporate polluters and the Southern California and Central Valley agri-businesses, whose pursuit of higher profits nearly always comes at the detriment of our environment.

These are the very interests funding these attacks – powerful corporate lobbyists like Western Growers, that are firmly aligned with the Republican Party and have a record of pollution, violations of farmworkers’ rights and opposition to the labeling of GMO foods.

We can only imagine that they are doing so because they feel Allen’s opponent, first term Councilmember Marc Levine, would take their side in stopping further environmental protection and rolling back important legislation that protects the food we eat, the water we drink.

No one else benefits from these attacks.  This why we are speaking out to denounce these tactics. Our communities deserve State leaders who will stand up to polluters and outside corporate interests and fight to preserve the health and sustainability of our local environment.  Michael Allen is that leader.

Carol Misseldine, McGlashan, widow of the late Marin County Supervisor Charles McGlashan and Director of Green Cities California

Larry Fahn, Long time Marin environmental leader, current Board member and past President of national Sierra Club

Norman Solomon, Former Co-Chair, Commission on a Green New Deal for the North Bay

Kiki LaPorta,San Rafael sustainability advocate

Yannick Phillips, Sonoma, sustainable food and agriculture proponent

Nona Dennis, Marin environmentalist

Dotty LeMieux, Fairfax, Former chair, Sierra Club Marin Group

Trinka Marris, Pt. Reyes naturalist

Denny Rosatti, Sonoma Conservation Action