According to The Washington Times, a U.S. federal judge has declared a 2013 Hawaii County law restricting genetically engineered crops as invalid because it was a matter that must be regulated at the state level. The decision comes just weeks after voters in nearby Maui County passed a ballot initiative to stop genetically engineered crop production until public safety tests can be conducted, an initiative that is also being tested in court. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren’s decision is similar to his earlier ruling invalidating Kauai County’s law on pesticides and genetically modified crops.
The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, Big Island Banana Growers Association, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Pacific Floral Exchange, Biotechnology Industry Organization, and various farmers sued to invalidate the ordinance that went into effect in December 2013 banning new cultivation of any genetically modified crops and testing of GMO crops unless in enclosed spaces such as greenhouses. The ordinance allowed for exemptions for papayas.
