Monsanto sues to keep glyphosate off list of carcinogens

Posted January 26, 2016

Monsanto filed a lawsuit against California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment seeking to keep a main ingredient in its Roundup herbicide off the state's list of cancer-causing chemicals.

The company filed suit last week in California's Superior Court in Fresno, attempting to prevent the state agency from adding glyphosate to a list the state keeps in accordance with state law. The lawsuit also names OEHHA's acting director, Lauren Zeise, as a defendant.

The lawsuit is the most recent effort by Monsanto to defend glyphosate and its Roundup product against claims the herbicide causes cancer.

Last September, the state agency planned to list glyphosate under Proposition 65, a state initiative enacted in 1986 to notify residents about cancer-causing chemicals. The agency says the notice is required after a World Health Organization research committee classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen.

In its suit, Monsanto said that numerous regulatory agencies and independent scientists have evaluated glyphosate over more than forty years of use and concluded that glyphosate does not present a carcinogenic risk to humans.

The OEHHA included glyphosate on its list of carcinogens, stating that state law requires certain substances identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to be listed as cancer-causing.

Monsanto, on the other hand, claims that OEHHA previously concluded in 2007 that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a cancer hazard to humans.

A copy of the court filing can be viewed here. 

U.S. Regulators May Recommend Glyphosate Testing, Review Soon Available

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Posted April 22, 2014

U.S. regulators may start testing food products for residues of the world's most widely used herbicide as public concern rises over possible links to disease, according to Reuters. Food Safety News also published an article available here and Ag Professional here.

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, has come under intense scrutiny since a the World Health Organization (WHO) reported last month it was classifying glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans."

The herbicide is considered safe by the EPA, as well as many foreign regulatory agencies, yet many companies, consumer groups and advocacy organizations have been sampling foods, as well as human urine and breast milk, to try to determine the pervasiveness of glyphosate residues.

Glyphosate is commonly used on wheat, corn, soybeans and other crops in the U.S. and many other countries. Use of the herbicide has dramatically increased in recent years along with the planting of genetically engineered crops, according to Food Safety News.

While the U.S. government does not specifically test food products for glyphosate residue, it does do test each year for hundreds of other herbicides and pesticides to make sure residues are not present in food products at levels considered dangerous to human health.

The EPA said the ultimate decision rests with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Pesticide Data Program. In the past, the EPA had advised the USDA that "glyphosate residues do not pose a risk to human health," according to Ag Professional.

However, USDA spokesman Peter Wood said the "EPA makes the determination which commodities and pesticides are tested." He said that sampling is based on EPA "data needs" and EPA has so far not requested glyphosate testing on any commodity.

Both agencies said that testing for glyphosate residues would be more costly than for other pesticides.

Update: 
 

The Environmental Protection Agency has wrapped up its review of the world's most widely used herbicide and plans to release a much-anticipated preliminary risk assessment no later than July, according to Ag Professional.

Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said that the glyphosate review was concluded months ago, but it was delayed to allow the agency to learn more about the WHO findings.

Jones said he expects the preliminary risk assessment to generate extensive public interest and comment.

Jones declined to provide details about the EPA's conclusions.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Glyphosate Possibly Linked to Cancer, WHO Report

Posted April 3, 2014

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate the herbicide glyphosate, one of the world’s most widely used weed killers. after concerns that the chemical possibly causes cancer, according to The Hill article available here. Capital Press also published an article available here and Fortune here.

The United Nations World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released a scientific assessment of five organophosphate pesticides last week that found that the insecticides malathion and diazinon, and herbicide glyphosate are “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

IARC also found that parathion and tetrachlorvinphos, found in pet flea treatments, are “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” 

Glyphosate, key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, has been around since 1970 and has been reviewed by multiple regulatory bodies, including the EPA. The EPA originally determined that it might cause cancer, but reversed its decision six years later after re-evaluating the study, according to Fortune.

Sales from Monsanto’s “agriculture productivity products,” which includes Roundup and similar items, account for about a third of the company’s annual revenue.

CEO Hugh Grant said that he didn’t see the issue impacting the business, and that the company will continue to support the product. He called it “unfortunate noise” and a “distraction rather than a reality.”

Michael Greenberg, a physician who is chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, said IARC should “take another look at this,” according to Capital Press.

“From what I can tell, the IARC didn’t really consider all the evidence,” said Greenberg. “There are enormous studies that show glyphosate does not cause cancer.”

A group of advocacy groups have asked the Obama administration to “weigh heavily” WHO’s findings.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Just Label It, Consumers Union, the Center for Food Safety, Environmental Working Group and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and others wrote the agency should consider the findings as it prepares its preliminary risk assessment of the widely used herbicides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Office of Pesticide Programs Announcing December Meetings

Posted November 24, 2014

Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is announcing a public meeting of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) on December 11-12, 2014.

Additionally, EPA is also announcing meetings on December 10, 2014, of the following PPDC workgroups: The Work Group on Integrated Pest Management and the Work Group on Pollinator Protection.

The Federal Register is available here.

Wheat Growers Request Support for Pesticide Permitting Bill

Posted June 16, 2014

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) is requesting support from Members of Congress for H.R. 935, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, according to a news release available here. The Wisconsin Ag Connection also published the news release available here.

The bill would eliminate the need for a Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit when applying pesticides.

Certain pesticide applications require an NPDES permit, in addition to regulation through Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, because of a 2009 court decision in National Cotton Council v. EPA.

Pesticides are applied based on label rates in accordance with the law. Additional environmental protections do not result from the NPDES permit, only paperwork and possible citizen lawsuits and fines up to $37,500 per day.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Tolerance Amended for Spirodiclofen Residue

Posted June 12, 2014

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended a tolerance for residues of spirodiclofen in or on citrus oil. The Federal Register Notice is available here.

Bayer CropScience requested this tolerance amended under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

Objections and requests for hearings must be received by June 11, 2014 and filed in accordance with the instructions provided here. 

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Tolerances Established for Tricyclazole Residue

Posted June 12, 2014

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established tolerance for residues of tricyclazole in or on imported rice. The Federal Register notice is available here.

The tolerances were requested under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) Dow AgroSciences, LLC.

The effective date is June 11, 2014.

Objections and requests for hearings must be received by August 11, 2014 and filed in accordance with the instructions provided here.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Agreement Reached to Protect Endangered Salmon from Pesticides

Posted June 6, 2014

An alliance of advocates for alternatives to pesticides, conservation organizations, and fishing groups have reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to an article on Indy Bay available here. Politico also published an article here.

The agreement restores no-spray buffer zones to protect salmon and steelhead from five-broad spectrum insect killers such as diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, carbaryl, and methomyl.

“Keeping these highly toxic pesticides out of streams and rivers protects the health of salmon and our children,” said Todd Steiner, executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network. “It is way more cost effective than trying to clean up the mess after the fact.”

EPA is preparing to seek comment on a proposed settlement agreement that would issue stream-side buffer areas to protect endangered salmon species from pesticides. EPA details the settlement, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, et al., v. EPA, in a Federal Register notice set for publication Friday, according to Politico.

“These buffer zones would remain in place until EPA implements any necessary protections for Pacific salmon and steelhead based on reinitiated consultations with [the National Marine Fisheries Service],” according to the notice.

“We know our Northwest farmers and growers to be good land and water stewards. In reaching agreement, EPA will now give clearer direction to farmers on how to better protect fish, if and when they choose to use these chemicals near salmon-supporting streams,” said Kim Leval, executive director of the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, the lead plaintiff on the lawsuit.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

APHIS Affirms Addition of Methyl Bromide Treatment

Posted June 5, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual is adding a treatment schedule for methyl bromide fumigation of kumquats to control fruit flies. The Federal Register Notice is available here.

The effective date is June 4, 2014.

The original notice was announced on January 30 in the Federal Register Notice Available here. The comment period was open for 60 days.

The methyl bromide treatment schedule is in accordance with regulations in § 305.3(b)(3).

For more information, the Treatment Manual is available here.  The notice, treatment evaluation document, finding of no significant impact, and comments received are available here. 

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

EPA Extends Comment Period for Pesticide Exposure Rule

Posted May 19, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the comment period for an additional 60 days for proposed revisions to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard, according to an article by The Grower available here.  The Federal Register notice is available here.  Feedstuffs also reported on the story here.

The EPA says that growers, industry, farm worker advocates and states requested additional time to provide input, according to a Central Valley Business Times article available here.  “The opportunity to revise the rule may not come again for some time, so we are committed to getting it right,” says Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

“Updating the 20-year old regulation to provide more protections to the nation’s two million farm workers and their families from pesticide exposure is a priority for EPA,” he says.

The proposed rule would increase mandatory training for agricultural workers from once every five years to annually to inform workers about specific protections.  The rule would also expand mandatory posting of “no-entry” signs and buffer areas; improve states’ ability to enforce compliance; and make specific pesticide information available to farm workers and medical personnel.  In addition, the rule would prohibit children under age 16 from handling pesticides.

An exemption for small family farms applies.  For more information on the proposed rule, a recent post from this blog is available here.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

EPA Seeks Comments on Registration of Enlist Duo

Posted May 6, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comments on its proposed decision to register Enlist Duo containing glyphosate and the choline salt of 2, 4-D for use in controlling weeds in corn and soybeans genetically engineered to tolerate 2,4-D, according to the EPA News Release available here.  AG Professional also reported on the story here.

The proposed registration is in response to increasing weed resistance to glyphosate-based herbicides.  To “ensure that Enlist Duo successfully manages weed resistance problems, the proposal would impose requirements on the manufacturer including robust monitoring and reporting to EPA, grower education and remediation and would allow EPA to take swift action to impose additional restrictions on the manufacturer and the use of the pesticide if resistance develops.”

“2, 4-D is one of the most widely used herbicides to control weeds.”  It has been registered for many years in the U.S. and other countries such as Canada, Mexico, Japan, and 26 European Union Members, among others.

If approved, Dow Agrosciences expects to launch Enlist corn and Enlist soybeans in 2015, with Enlist E3 soybeans and Enlist cotton following, according to a Farm Futures article available here.

Comments must be submitted no later than May 30, 2014.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Lawsuit over EPA’s Regulation of Bee Pesticide Proceeds

Posted April 24, 2014

A lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its regulation of “neonicotinoid” pesticides will continue, despite the judge dismissing some claims, according to an article by Capital Press available here.

Four beekeepers and several nonprofit groups including the Sierra Club, Center for Food Safety, and Center for Environmental Health, filed a complaint against the EPA, challenging its approval of pesticides containing clothianidin and thiamethoxam. 

The Courthouse News Service reports the groups argued “that the poisons and other neonicotinoids like them have decimated the honeybee population by contributing to the mysterious colony-collapse disorder, in which worker bees abandon the hive and vanish en masse, leaving the queen and unhatched brood to die.”  The plaintiffs also argued that the EPA ignored farmers’ deliberate misuse of neonicotinoids and “routinely issues conditional permits” without further examination.

The EPA, joined by pesticide makers, moved to dismiss the action under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). 

U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney found no evidence that FIFRA required the agency to publish notices each time it approved a conditional use registration:  “Although the plaintiffs allege, in a conclusory manner, that the applications sought approval for ‘new clothianidin uses’ and ‘new thiamethoxam uses’ on ‘crops and habitats where the beekeepers’ honeybees foraged and pollinated,’ they fail to include sufficient facts to identify the nature of any changed use pattern.” 

Judge Chesney dismissed plaintiffs’ claims for failure to provide notice because of the six-year statute of limitations.  Judge Chesney said other claims, including the EPA’s use of conditional permits and registrations, must first be challenged administratively. 

The Judge also dismissed the claims that EPA had an obligation to consult the Fish and Wildlife Service before approving pesticide labels, “since the groups had never lodged the complaint officially.”

The plaintiffs have until May 9 to cure the deficiencies in their remaining claims against the EPA.

For more information on pesticides and FIFRA, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

EPA Orders Company to Halt Sale of Food Containers Containing Pesticide

Posted April 4, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently ordered the Pathway Investment Corp. of Englewood, New Jersey to stop the sale of plastic food storage containers that have not been tested or registered with the EPA in violation of federal pesticides law, according to the EPA News Release available here.  Controlled Environments and Environmental Protection also reported on the story.  

The Kinetic Go Green Premium Food Storage Containers and Kinetic Smartwist Series Containers both contain nano silver as an active ingredient, which the company claims helps reduce the growth of mold, fungus and bacteria. 

Those claims must be “backed up with testing so that consumers know that the products do what the labels say, said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Unless these products are registered with the EPA, consumers have no information about whether the claims are accurate.”

Under federal pesticide law, “products that contain an unregistered pesticide as an active ingredient or claim to kill or repel bacteria or germs are considered pesticides and must be registered with the EPA prior to distribution or sale.”

Under the order the following products may not be sold: Kinetic Go Green Premium Food Storage Containers; Kinetic Smartwist Series Containers; TRITAN Food Storage; and StackSmart Storage. 

Additional information on nano silver is available here.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

EPA Releases Proposed Rule for Workers Exposed to Pesticides

Posted March 21, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a proposed rule to update and revise the Worker Protection Standard, increasing protections from pesticide exposure, according to an article by The Hill available here.  The Federal Register notice is available here.

“EPA is proposing to strengthen the protections provided to agricultural workers and handlers under the worker protection standard by improving elements of existing regulation, such as training, notification, communication materials, use of personal protective equipment and decontamination supplies,” the agency writes. 

The EPA announced the changes to the Worker Protection Standard in February.  The proposed rule opens the 90 day comment period, which closes on June 17, 2014.

The proposed rule would increase mandatory training for agricultural workers from once every five years to annually to inform workers about specific protections.  The rule would also expand mandatory posting of “no-entry” signs and buffer areas; improve states’ ability to enforce compliance; and make specific pesticide information available to farmer workers and medical personnel.  In addition, the rule would prohibit children under age 16 from handling pesticides. 

An exemption for small family farms applies.

“We can’t turn our backs on the people who feed the nation,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.  “They need to be protected.”

Statistics show that between 10,000 and 20,000 workers suffer from pesticide poisoning each year.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

NALC Resource: Pesticides Reading Room

Posted March 14, 2014

The National Agricultural Law Center offers a wide range of resources, one of which is the Pesticides Reading Room available here.

Pesticides, created to be toxic to specific organisms, have helped bring about the industrialization of agriculture.  Pesticide use and its inherent toxicity require regulation to ensure the safety of the public, the food supply, and the environment.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) primarily regulates pesticides and also works with state agencies.  

Major statutes include the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. §§ 136-136y, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) 21 U.S.C. §§ 301-392.  FIFRA establishes the general system of federal pesticide regulation, while the FFDCA establishes a system to govern pesticides in food and feed.

The Pesticides Reading Room provides information on major statutes, relevant regulations, links to the case law index, administrative law decisions, Center research publications, relevant Congressional Research Service reports, and many other resources. 

These resources are provided by the National Agricultural Law Center as a free service to the public.

Groups Sue EPA over Pesticide Disclosure

Posted March 11, 2014

Three environmental and public health groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week, pressing the agency to move forward with rules that would require public disclosure of inert pesticide ingredients, according to a Reuters article available here.

The Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Center for Environmental Health et al v. McCarthy.  The complaint is available here.

The groups argue that there has been an “unreasonable delay” by EPA in finalizing rules to require manufacturers to disclose hazardous inert ingredients in their pesticide products.

Law 360 reports that, according to the plaintiffs, “inert ingredients can be just as dangerous as active ingredients and can comprise 50 to 90 percent of a pesticide’s composition.”  The groups argue that over 370 of the inert ingredients found in pesticides are either “hazardous or suspected toxins.”

In 2006, health and environmental groups, and several attorneys general, petitioned EPA to force companies to disclose these ingredients.  In December, 2009, the EPA solicited comments on an advanced notice of a proposed rule, but the EPA has not taken further action since the comment period closed in April 2010.

“Consumers and users of pesticide products have a right to know all the ingredients that are in the products they purchase so that they can make more informed choices in the marketplace,” said Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides.  A press release from Beyond Pesticides is available here.

A representative for the EPA said it will review and respond to the lawsuit.

For more information on pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

EPA Proposes Changes to Agricultural Worker Protection Standard

Posted February 26, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced proposed changes to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) which would increase protections from pesticide exposure for the nation’s two million agricultural workers and their families, according to the EPA announcement here.  Hortidaily also reported on the story here.

Proposed changes to the WPS include: Increasing mandatory trainings from once every five years to annually to inform workers about specific protections under the law; expanding mandatory posting of “no-entry” signs for the most hazardous pesticides; no-entry buffer areas; measures to improve the ability of states’ to enforce compliance; and making information specific to the pesticide application available to farm workers and their medical personnel.

The proposal also includes a new minimum age requirement – Children under 16 will be prohibited from handling pesticides.

An exemption for family farms applies to all provisions of the proposal.

Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator, said, “Today marks an important milestone for the farm workers who plant, tend, and harvest the food that we put on our tables each day,” according to an article by Southeast Ag Net available here.  “EPA’s revised Worker Protection Standard will afford farm workers similar health protections to those already enjoyed by workers in other jobs.  Protecting our nation’s farm workers from pesticide exposure is at the core of EPA’s work to ensure environmental justice.”

Current Worker Protection Standard Regulations, 40 C.F.R. §§ 170.1-170.260 are available here.

For more information on the agricultural labor issues, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

Biotech Companies Sue Kauai County over GMO Disclosure Law

Posted January 16, 2014

Agricultural biotechnology companies, Dow, Syngenta, BASF, and DuPont Pioneer, have filed a lawsuit to block the implementation of a bill passed by the Hawaii County of Kauai which would regulate the use of pesticides and genetically modified (GMO) crops, according to an article by Agri-Pulse available here.

On January 10, Agrigenetics, Inc., a company affiliated with DuPont Pioneer and Syngenta, jointly filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Honolulu against the County of Kauai over the enactment of Bill 2491.  The final version of the bill is available here.

The law requires agricultural entities to “disclose their use of pesticides, as well as their growing of any GMO crops in annual public reports to the State Department of Agriculture.” The law “also requires a 500-foot buffer zone near schools and homes and several other locations.”  In addition, the County of Kauai “must also complete an Environmental and Public Health Impact Study (EPHIS) intended to address environmental and home health questions related pesticide and genetically modified crop use by commercial agricultural entities.”

Last fall, the Kauai County Council passed the bill with a 6-1 vote.  Soon after, Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. vetoed the bill, citing legal concerns.  The Kauai County Council, however, overturned the veto in a 5-2 vote in November.

The companies argue that the bill is “fatally flawed because it damages the Plaintiffs’ property by forbidding them from planting any crops in buffer zones without good cause, violates the Kauai County Charter, and attempts to regulate in an area occupied by state and federal law,” according to an article by KHON 2 available here.

The law is scheduled to take effect on August 16.

For more information on biotechnology and pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here and here.

USDA Seeks Comments on Deregulation of New Herbicide Resistant Seeds

Posted January 8, 2014

Last week, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recommended the deregulation of genetically engineered (GE) corn and soybean plants while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts risk assessments to decide on the approval process of new uses for the 2,4-D herbicide, according to the APHIS news release available here.

APHIS released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) as part of its review to determine whether to deregulate the GE corn and soybean plants that are resistant to several herbicides, one of which is 2,4-D.  The DEIS will be available for public review and comment for 45 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.  The DEIS documents are available here.

The GE corn and soybean plants are part of the Dow AgroSciences’ Enlist Weed Control System.  Currently, the seeds can only be used in control field tests, according to an article by Ag Week available here.

Deregulation of the seeds would provide an additional option to farmers concerned about increased weed resistance to glyphosate.

Environmental groups, on the other hand, criticized USDA’s announcement, saying that 2,4-D “has been associated with Parkinson’s disease and reproductive problems, among other things.”  The Center for Food Policy said Enlist would “increase the use of toxic pesticides in industrial agriculture while providing absolutely no benefit to consumers.”

The comment period begins on Jan. 10.

For more information on biotechnology and pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here and here.  

Hawaiian Islands Move to Limit GMO Crops and Pesticides

Posted December 9, 2013

The Hawaiian island of Maui will consider a bill that would require companies to disclose when they use pesticides and genetically modified (GMO) crops on the island, according to a Reuters article available here.

Maui County Councilwoman Elle Cochran introduced the bill, which is modeled after a measure approved in Kauai last month.  The Kauai city county council recently voted to override the mayor’s veto which cited the many legal challenges facing the bill.  A recent post from this blog on the Kauai bill is available here.

On Thursday, Hawaii Island Mayor Billy Kenoi “signed into law a measure that prohibits biotech companies from growing any new genetically modified crops” on the island.  GMO papaya is excluded from the bill’s coverage.  This law went into effect immediately and includes a $1,000 fine per day for noncompliance.

Kenoi said, “Today our communities expect that government will be as cautious as possible in protecting our food and water supplies…This ordinance expresses the desires and demands of our community for a safe, sustainable agricultural sector that can help feed our people while keeping our precious island productive and healthy.”

While the fight of GMO use and pesticides on the islands of Hawaii and Kauai “have often been heated,” Adolph Helm, project manager at Dow AgroSciences on Molokai said he hoped the debate in Maui County would be civil, according to an article by the Honolulu civil beat available here.

Helm said, “I just hope that it will be a discussion that is done in a way that is respectful and done in a collaborative effort with the county council and the mayor’s cabinet and in a way that we can always look at both sides of the issue.”

Molokai is an island included in Maui County where both Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences operate and employ almost 200 people. 

A recent agreement between Monsanto and Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa will add to the debate over the legislation.  According to the memorandum of understanding, available here, Monsanto agreed to disclose details about its pesticide use and increase community outreach.

For more information on biotechnology and pesticides, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here and here.