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Lawyers Square Off Over Josephine County GMO Ban

Jeff Barnard/AP
In this May 12, 2014, photo, Chuck Burr cultivates a row of onions on his organic seed farm outside Ashland, Oregon.

Farmers seeking to overturn the ban against genetically engineered crops in Oregon’s Josephine County have come under fire in court from proponents of the ordinance.

An April 14 court hearing over the validity of the county’s prohibition largely centered on whether the plaintiffs even have the right to challenge it.

“If you look at the circumstances, the whole house of cards of this manufactured lawsuit comes tumbling down,” said Stephanie Dolan, an attorney representing ordinance supporters, during oral arguments.

The fundamental dispute in the lawsuit is whether state law overrules the county’s prohibition against genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

To read more, visit Capital Press.