MEDIA COVERAGE OF 1,000 GMO-FREE ZONES DECLARATION
LEITRIM OBSERVER:
GM-FREE ZONES IN LEITRIM LAUNCHED
AT AGHACASHEL EVENT
Leitrim Observer, 29 April 2005. Two member organisations of the GM-free Ireland Network, CLEAN (Cavan Leitrim Environmental Awareness Network) and Leitrim Organic Farmers Coop, organised events in Co. Leitrim to celebrate the declaration of 1,000 GMO-free zones on the island of Ireland, on Earth Day, April 22.
Fifty-six of these GMO-free zones are in County Leitrim.
People were invited and welcomed with organic coffee and buiscuits to witness the erection of GMO-free zone signs at Aghacashel Organic Farm and Shane Wood's Organic Farm at Cornaroy, Drumshanbo.
The event at Aghacashel was attended by Sinn Fein Councillor Martin Kenny, and local Labour Spokesperson Garreth McDaid.
This year, Earth Day's theme was "Protecting Our Children's Health and Our Future." The message sent out at the events was that we do not want GMOs to be our future and the future of our children. The moral imperative to protect our children from harm makes it our duty to say no to GMOs.
Strong support for a motion to declare Leitrim a GMO-free zone to be passed by Leitrim County Council was again voiced. This would be a huge step forward to a GMO-free Ireland.
With such a step Leitrim County Council would protect its people, conventional farmers, and their livestock, organic farmers, growers and producers, the environment and biodiversity from foreseeable and unforeseen hazards from transgenic animals, fish, trees and GMOs in food, feed and seeds; protect the agricultural heritage of County Leitrim that has shaped its unique landscapes; ensure that Leitrim's agricultural and food products are safe and high quality; enhance the image of the County as a green destination, thereby supporting the toursim and catering industries; and make it viable for animal feed mills to source GMO-free animal feed to supply Leitrim farmers.
The two organisations wish to thank Micheal and Maryrose Geoghan and Shane Woods for their hospitality, as well as The Nature Trail, Ballinamore, for sponsoring the biscuits.
