Has there ever been any past attempts at trying to ban GMOs? If so, then what?

Expert response from Community Manager

Friday, 09/01/2015 12:25

Yes, there have been attempts to ban GMOs. Many people assume that GMOs are banned in Europe, but that is not the case. We addressed this misperception, and discussed the current prohibition in Kenya, the only country to officially ban GMOs, in this response.

In the US there have also been attempts to ban GMOs in some localities. Recently in Oregon, cultivation bans were passed in both Jackson and Josephine Counties. The measure in Jackson County is currently being litigated, and the ban in Josephine County was determined not to be enforceable due to state preemption in OR Senate Bill 863. Additionally, a moratorium on GMO cultivation was approved in Maui, HI; however, enforcement of the moratorium has been delayed for legal evaluation. Finally, this post from Environmental Law Strategy discusses the various local GMO ordinances and prohibitions in other U.S. states.