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Local Food Group Continues To Push For Anti-GMO Measure

Karen Richards

The group "Support Local Food Rights" continues to fight to get its anti-GMO initiative on the November ballot in Lane County. Today (Tuesday) a judge heard challenges to the measure's wording.

The local food group wants to restrict genetically engineered seeds from being grown in Lane County. A Junction City farmer who plants genetically modified sugar beets claims the title of the ordinance is not legal.

Judge Charles Carlson asked the parties to take 10 days to write summaries for the court. Carlson will then choose one or the other or draft a combination of the two. Ann Kneeland is the attorney for Support Local Food Rights:

Kneeland: "I think we're hopeful at this point the conclusion today will be enough for us to move forward and collect signatures. If the judge finds that it does not comply, I think we'll be under a very tight timeline to pull it off for November."

Kneeland says, even if her group can't get the measure on the fall ballot, they will try to get it approved for May of 2015.

Karen Richards joined KLCC as a volunteer reporter in 2012, and became a freelance reporter at the station in 2015. In addition to news reporting, she’s contributed to several feature series for the station, earning multiple awards for her reporting.