Sonoma Safe Agriculture Safe Schools (SASS) is a coalition of community organizations paving the way for safer land management policies primarily around our schools and communities. We watchdog pesticide use, speak up when rules are broken, and lead citizen science to educate policymakers and our communities.
Our work has resulted in multiple bans on pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, etc.) in Sonoma County. Thanks to Sonoma SASS, the majority of parks in Sonoma County are now managed completely toxic-free!
Our current (2022/23) initiatives include:
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Working with Caltrans to stop using pesticides like RoundUp in Sonoma County and build pollinator highways.
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Advocating for improved pesticide restrictions in the Local Coastal Plan.
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Supporting agricultural and landscape worker's by improving access to protective gear, safety information, and medical care in the case of pesticide exposure.
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Studying how pesticide use impacts water and air quality through citizen science programs and the GRAPE research project.
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Advocating for advance pesticide spray notifications in agricultural areas
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Educating City of Petaluma on forming their Integrated Pest Management Plan
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Watchdoging County, State, and National pesticide regulations including the Healthy Schools Act, and the 2016 North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Stormwater permit.
Sonoma SASS grew out of grassroots activism that began in 2015. The coalition was officially founded and funded in 2019 with founding organizations including Conservation Action Fund for Education, Daily Acts, Families Advocating for Chemical and Toxics Safety (FACTS), North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP), Preserve Rural Sonoma County (PRSC), Sonoma County Conservation Action (SCCA), and Wine and Water Watch. Sonoma SASS has also facilitated creation of several community-lead groups including Graton Against Synthetic Pesticides, Pesticide Free Petaluma and Pesticide Free Rohnert Park. Sonoma SASS is working with similar organizations at the state and national level, facilitated by Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) and the Pesticide Action Network (PAN).