Posted November 18, 2014
A federal
judge has granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by Monsanto Hawaiʻi
against the County of Maui, according to a Maui News article available here.
ABC KITV also published an article available here
and Honolulu Civil Beat here.
The
lawsuit prevents the new genetically modified organisms (GMO) initiative from
taking effect until the court reevaluates its legal merits.
The opinion also delays “the significant negative
consequences this initiative, if enacted, would have on our employees, the
local economy, Hawaiʻi agriculture and business in Maui
County,” said company representatives.
The injunction will end on December 5, according to ABC
KITV.
County voters passed the law with a narrow margin on
November 4.
In the lawsuit, the companies stated that it’s “unfair for
the county to ban genetically engineered farming until the county
studies the public health and environmental effects and the County Council
deems it’s safe,” according to Civil
Beat.
The lawsuit comes after five
Maui County residents and a nonprofit, the SHAKA Movement, sued the county,
Monsanto, and Dow AgroSciences in state court to ensure that the ban would be
enforced.
For more information on the GMO labeling, the National
Agricultural Law Center is hosting a webinar November 19 and information is
available on the website here.
For more information on food safety, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
