With almost all votes counted, Maui voters appear to have approved an initiative that bans GMO cultivation in Maui County. The still not-final tally showed 22,647 people vote in favor of the moratorium, representing 50 percent of the vote, while 21,807 people, 48.1 percent, voted no
The measure would impose a temporary moratorium on genetically engineered crops until the county analyzes their impact on the county’s public health and environment. It also calls for public hearings and a two-thirds vote and a determination by the Maui County Council that operations meet standards. It would establish criminal and civil penalties.
The bill’s passage will almost certainly spark a legal battle. If it stands, it would bring to a standstill the majority of the farming being done by Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences, both of which operate year round developmental seed nurseries in Maui County.
Share this article
Monsanto owns or leases 3,100 acres on Maui and Molokai, and employs about 540 people, including part-time or seasonal workers. Dow AgroSciences’ affiliate Mycogen Seeds farms about 400 acres on Molokai and employs around 100 people.
