Mendocino County, California, was the first jurisdiction in the United States to ban the cultivation, production or distribution of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).Lau, Edie, & Mike Lee. "California county breaks ground with biotech ban." Daily Herald (Provo, UT). March 8, 2004. The ordinance, entitled Measure H, was passed by referendum on March 2, 2004. Initiated by the group "GMO Free Mendocino", the campaign was a highly publicized grassroots effort by local farmers and environmental groups who contend that the potential risks of GMOs to human health and the ecosystem have not yet been fully understood.Walsh-Dilley, M. (2008). Localizing Control: Mendocino county and the ban on GMOs.
