Graton, California has 1,700 residents and we get over 8,141 lbs of pesticides sprayed on us a year.

That's at least 4.7 lbs of pesticides per person, the highest percentile in the US. 

We are parents of children who come home with random rashes. We are doctors who see healthy adults who eat organic, exercise daily, live low stress lifestyles but whom get cancer at unusually high rates. We are women of child bearing age who are concerned about the high rates of cancer and learning disabilities in children. We are residents who have spring water delivered because ours makes our stomach ache. We are homeowners who spent their life savings to move out of the city and into the idyliic county side to develop painful bladder issues and migraines after sprays. 

We don't want to shame agriculture.

We believe there is a better way of farming that benefits everyone. 

This Petition has been created by GASP (Graton Against Synthetic Pesticides) a concerned group of Graton, California residents with the goal is urging our neighboring vineyards and farms to ban the practice of using synthetic pesticides (herbicides/insecticides/fungicides) in 2020 and move towards regenerative/biodynamic methods of farming by 2025. 

Pesticide drift refers to the unintentional diffusion of pesticides, including off-target contamination due to spray drift as well as runoff from plants or soil, movement of spray droplets or pesticide vapors out of the sprayed area. This can lead to damage in human health, environmental contamination, and property damage/water pollution.

• herbicide spray drift can cause water pollution, and damage non-susceptible crops in a vulnerable growth stage
• insecticide spray drift can damage beneficial insect populations especially bees and natural predators.
• Children are especially vulnerable to these airborne pesticides, given that their young bodies are still growing and developing.

Pesticide drift is not intentional and yet it happens. 

Even the most careful, responsible pesticide sprayer cannot control what happens to pesticide droplets once they are released.

Non-profit Pesticide Action Network (PAN) cites research showing that upwards of 95 percent of applied pesticides miss their target, reaching nearby people and wildlife, waterways, soil and air instead. Besides this “spray drift,” PAN also warns of so-called “volatilization drift”—whereby pesticides evaporate into the air from off of crops or out of the soil for up to several days following an application.

Schools get a buffer zone (weekdays 6am-6pm) of .25 mile but is not sufficient as Environmental Health Perspectives report found that out of 738 fumigant-related cases with information on distance, 606 or (82%) occurred further than 0.25 miles from the application site. Spraying can occur at 5am... settling on playgrounds just before school starts. 

Sadly, there are no buffer zones for residential areas. Graton residents and Oak Grove Elementary school are surrounded by vineyards that spray harmful synthetic pesticides. 

After talking to farmers, we've found financial resources are the biggest barrier towards using more regenerative practices. 

By signing this petition we are asking our Board of Supervisors to fund solutions (tax incentives or other means) that help move local agriculture towards regenerative farming practices. 

Outside of signing this petition you can get involved at www.gratongasps.com