Protest Govt Herbicide Assault at Organic Azure Farm

The People need to band together to stop this draconian precedent that can affect every landowner that resists enforced spraying of toxic chemicals on their property in the land of the free.

Sherman county, OR, has decreed that a 2,000 acre organic farm that grows organic wheat, field peas, barley, and Einkorn for Azure Standard, must be sprayed with toxic glyphosate-containing chemicals to eradicate noxious weeds such as Canada Thistle.

Azure asserts that it has been controlling noxious weeds on its farm, but it is impossible to eradicate them all using organic practices. Until now, that was acceptable by the local weed board, which recently changed its policy from from controlling noxious weeds to eradicating them altogether. (If anybody has any insight as to the backstory on this, please leave a note in the comment section).

While US government agencies responsible for protecting life and limb claim glyphosate is safe for humans, numerous newer studies have shown it disrupts healthy microbes in the soil and in the gut, thereby threatening human health.

If you are not familiar with the controversy over the poisonous glyphosate in our food system, and how it is accumulating in human bodies, here are just a few links among many for you to research:

Dangers of Glyphosate Herbicide

Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells

New Evidence About the Dangers of Monsantos Roundup

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Brazil, and India all banned the use of Roundup because of growing reports of serious illness to farm workers and their families from glyphosate poisoning, yet in the United States, Sherman County, Oregon, wants to force toxic herbicides to be sprayed on an 18-year working organic farm.

Corporate interests that favor the widespread dissemination of toxic chemicals have a major influence on US lawmakers, according to a post on the Oxford University Press blog.

“Azure Farms is a working, Certified Organic farm located in Moro, Central Oregon, in Sherman County. It has been Certified Organic for about 18 years. The farm produces almost all the organic wheat, field peas, barley, Einkorn, and beef for Azure Standard.

“Sherman County is changing the interpretation of its statutory code from controlling noxious weeds to eradicating noxious weeds. These weeds include Morning Glory, Canada Thistle, and Whitetop, all of which have been on the farm for many years, but that only toxic chemicals will eradicate.

“Organic farming methods – at least as far as we know today – can only control noxious weeds—it is very difficult to eradicate them.” Azure CEO David Selzer

Rather than initiate a kamikaze attack on Azure Farms — a successful local Oregon businesses that offers highly sought after organic and GMO-free products (free enterprise), and supports local jurisdictions (the people’s representatives) with taxes — Sherman County should be bending over backwards to do whatever it can to move out of its backwards and counter-productive mindset and work with Azure to help it find an acceptable remedy.

Instead, a hearing has been scheduled for May 22, which may result in a court order to quarantine the farm and force the application of poisons on the clean soils of this organic farm. If Azure attempts to resist, the county will apply the toxic chemicals (linked to Agent Orange spraying in Viet Nam) on the land anyway, then put a lien on the business for all costs incurred.

If this fascist policy by the Sherman County Weed Board moves forward, the Azure farm will not be able to retain its organic status.

You can register your protest with the following Sherman County officials, preferably by May 17 and spread this to your contacts who rely on #organic and #non-gmo food as an integral part of their preventative health care plan.

Commissioner Tom McCoy

Tom McCoy – tmccoy@gorge.net  (541) 565-3416

Commissioner Joe Dabulskis

Joe Dabulskis – joedab3jma@gmail.com  (541) 565-3416

Administrative Assistant Lauren Hernandez

Lauren Hernandez – lhernandez@co.sherman.or.us  (541) 565-3416