Activists on wheels sow awareness

Central Maine Newspapers

April 19, 2007

AUGUSTA — Three Unity College Students wrapped up a three-day, 50-mile bicycle ride after meeting with Ned Porter, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, this morning.

Sophomores Jake Harr and Zoe Turcotte and freshman Nate Milller expressed their concern over the state's policies regarding genetically modified crops during a 45-minute meeting with Porter.

The students sought to raise awareness of the financial and legal threats posed by cross-contamination of genetically modified and traditional crops, Harr said.

The group set out from Unity on Tuesday, stopping to volunteer and gather information at two farms along the way, before wrapping up the trip with this morning's meeting.

"It was kind of as expected," Harr said of the meeting. "(Porter) kind of evaded answering most of the questions directly. It was a lot of answers we've already heard from the department."