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Women's Leadership Group Meets to
Discuss the Dangers involved in the
Production of Genetically Modified Food
    On June 25, 2009 the Women's Leadership Group met at the
    Homestead office of the Farmworker Association of Florida (FWAF).
    This group developed as part of a Women of Color-Led Reproductive
    Justice grant from the Miami-Dade Women’s Fund. The Miami-Dade
    Women’s Fund has been operating since 1993, and is currently the only
    organization in Miami-Dade to write grants specifically for gender-
    specific projects. This grant supports organizations which give women
    of color the opportunity to advocate for the control of their reproductive
    health. In South Dade, on behalf of the National Farm Worker Ministry,
    Jeanette Smith is working closely with Elvira Carvajal of the FWAF on a
    pesticide project to raise the awareness of the women working in the
    nurseries and to also develop leadership amongst these women.

    During the recent meeting, the women discussed the hazard that
    companies located in Mexico and producing genetically modified foods
    pose towards local farms. Birds and insects, the main pollinators of
    plants, have been carrying the pollen from the genetically modified
    crops to the crops of local farmers. This has caused local crops to
    become increasingly modified, and has also caused harmful pesticides
    to spread throughout the country. The women also discussed the
    ignorance many farmworkers have regarding the dangers linked to
    pesticide exposure.  

    Following the meeting, a representative from the United States Census
    spoke to the women about the importance of participating in the 2010
    census. He emphasized the importance of minority participation, as it
    will directly affect the allocation of government funds to programs and
    organizations in minority communities.
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