Transition to Organics

THE Town Hall Meeting on September 28th was a huge success!

Read more in the Ventura County Reporter article:

“COSTLY GAME” | OJAI LOCALS CONFRONT PESTICIDE SPRAYING IN TOWN HALL MEETING

Thank you to all the organizers and panelists including:

Actress & Health Advocate Diane Ladd

Josh & Rebecca Tickell,co-moderating the panel discussion, award winning filmmakers,  showing a preview clip of their new film, Kiss the Ground

Patty Pagaling, Executive Director, Transition to Organics

Julie Tumamait, local Chumash elder

Hannah-Beth Jackson, CA Senator representing District 19

Steve Sprinkel, local organic farmer,  President, Center for Regenerative Agriculture

Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County/Hansen Agricultural REC

Connor Jones, Permaculturist, East End Eden

Adam Vega, a life long resident of Ventura County and a Community Organizer with Californians for Pesticide Reform, coordinating the Ventura County Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety (VC-CAPS)

Erik Cutter, regnerative farmer, working at the Orange County Great Park with former California Secretary of Agriculture A.G. Kawamura

Jonathon Katz, Ojai citrus grower

Tim Malloy, Professor of Law, Faculty Director, UCLA Sustainable Technology and Policy Program

Kathy Nolan, Landscape Architect and Ojai Planning Commissioner

We have an opportunity to ask Supervisor Bennett to support the protection of the western part of the Santa Monica Mountains that lie in the Coastal Zone from rodent poisons and pesticides.

1. If you are able to attend the December 4th (Tuesday at 8:30am), 2018 Board of Supervisors meeting, please e-mail me.  We can carpool from Ojai.

2. Please consider sending an e-mail to Supervisor Bennett similar to this:
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e-mail: steve.bennett@ventura.org

Dear Supervisor Bennett,

I am writing to ask you to support the protection of the western part of the Santa Monica Mountains that lie in the Coastal Zone from rodent poisons and pesticides.

Los Angeles County protected the eastern part of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Coastal Zone in October 2014, and we are asking Ventura County to do the same thing.
All the details are at https://vcrma.org/ventura-county-local-coastal-program-update

The current language of the LCP is as follows:

Santa Monica Mountains (M) Overlay Zone: Development shall be prohibited that includes the use of rodenticides, insecticides, herbicides, and other toxic chemical substances that have the potential to significantly degrade biological resources,  except where necessary to protect or enhance the habitat itself, such as the eradication of invasive plant species or habitat restoration, and where there is no feasible alternative that would result in fewer adverse effects to ESHA. 

This sounds good, but the problem is that the word “Development” in there mean it only applies to NEW DEVELOPMENT. This is totally useless, because new development will be insignificant in that region. It must apply to new AND THE EXISTING development. Furthermore, this is in direct contrast to what Los Angeles County did just next door in its portion of the Santa Monica Mountains. It has a clause applying to NEW AND EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, to any use of pesticides.

Thank you for your consideration on this important matter.

Sincerely,

your name

address

e-mail

For information on non-toxic solutions for citrus greening disease,                                              see article in “For Citrus Growers” tab:                                     

For Growers Re: Healthy Citrus