Letter: More Than a ‘Convenience’

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Letter to the Editor

I am writing to you today to request that you direct our city manager and staff to ensure that Malibu’s farmers market continue “as-is” before, during and after the entire construction of the Santa Monica College. The farmers market is an integral part of this community’s fabric and it is in the city’s best interest to ensure that this market be left intact.

By instructing city staff to ensure that no changes occur to the market, they will be empowered to direct LA County and SMC to properly plan and stage construction accordingly and ensure their compliance.

The farmers market serves many purposes to our residents. It is a community gathering on Sundays, in addition to providing necessary fresh, California grown, organic foods. Our Malibu Mission and Vision Statement supports what the Malibu Farmers Market stands for. As residents, we “sacrifice the modern conveniences,” but on Sundays, the Farmers Market brings some of these modern, California grown, organic, conveniences to us in a way that doesn’t permanently alter “our natural resources and rural character.” In fact, it actually adds to our rural character.

With more scientific evidence coming to light about the importance of organic, GMO-free, natural foods, the importance of the Malibu Farmers Market Malibu is only growing. I ask that all of you stand strong to protect our farmers market by instructing our city staff to ensure that there are no changes to our market while SMC construction occurs and that the market’s contract with LA County contain this language and be renewed for many years to come.

Please take a look at this very timely article about the United Nations report on the importance of organic, natural, pesticide-free foods. It says pesticides have “catastrophic impacts on the environment, human health and society as a whole … accusing [pesticide manufactures] of the “systematic denial of harms … aggressive, unethical marketing tactics” and heavy lobbying of governments which has “obstructed reforms and paralyzed global pesticide restrictions.”

theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/07/un-experts-denounce-myth-pesticides-are-necessary-to-feed-the-world

Thank you for your support on this important matter to our city and for the service each of you give to protect and preserve Malibu’s residents.

Jennifer Blue deNicola