The Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled on Nov. 18 that Hawai‘i County laws banning genetically modified organisms are invalid, concluding that the state’s counties do not have the right to regulate agriculture.
“The residents of Hawai‘i simply asked for measures to be taken to protect the health of their loved ones, which are clearly being compromised by the exposure to toxic chemicals that GMOs are engineered to withstand,” said Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America. “This ruling is another example of how the wealth of corporations is being put before the health of our citizens. We urge citizens everywhere to get informed, get active in your communities, make smart purchases, and to not give up. “
The residents of Hawai‘i County voted for the ban in 2013 and Mayor Billy Kenoi signed it into law.
The federal rulings came down in lawsuits brought by pesticide and seed companies against Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i and Maui counties.
The rulings invalidate county ordinances that sought to enforce public health protections associated with what has been described as high volumes of pesticide use on experimental genetically engineered seed operations across the state.
The state-funded panel of experts known as the “Joint Fact Finding Group” recommend buffer zones, pesticide use disclosure and environmental and health testing after completing a year-long process.
The State Legislature has appropriated $500,000 to support further monitoring and testing, but further action is required to implement recommendations.
The mission of Moms Across America is to raise awareness about GMOs and toxic exposure, empower leadership and create healthy communities. The group supports local activities, initiates campaigns and shares solutions nationwide to improve the nation’s health and freedoms.
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