Statewide

Assembly Bill 504
Ban on propagation of genetically modified salmon for commercial production
Bill signed by Governor Brown 9/19/14

Assembly Bill 88
Labeling GM salmon.
Introduced by Jared Huffman, 1/6/11
News article | Status of bill | PDF of bill

Assembly Bill 541
Liability: genetically engineered plants. Introduced by Jared Huffman, 2/21/07
Status of bill


Assembly Bill 984
Liability: genetically engineered plants. Introduced by Assembly Member Laird, 2/18/05
Status of bill

Senate Bill 1056
Prohibit local government seed regulation.
Introduced by Senator Dean Florez, 2/22/05
Status of bill | Bill passed by California Assembly 8/28/06

Senate Bill 63
Food labeling: cloned animals.
Introduced by Senator Carole Midgen, 1/16/07
Status of bill

County Map

Map of California Counties Ordinances (as of 11/2016)
Larger version of map | Powerpoint file containing map

Click on counties on map below to check on their individual status.

TOP OF PAGE

Cities

CITY OF ARCATA (Anti-GE)
Ordinance | Passed: Board of Supervisors 4 For; 0 Against (November 17, 2004)

CITY OF POINT ARENA (Anti-GE)
News article | Ordinance Passed (May 25, 2005)

"J.R. Simplot Co.; Availability of Petition for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Potato Genetically Engineered for Low Acrylamide Potential and Reduced Black Spot Bruise", USDA APHIS Prepublication Federal Register Notice, 5/2/13.

"Press Release: CA GMO Labeling Initiative Submitted", Label GMOs campaign, 11/9/11 (posted 11/15/11).

Federal

"Anti-GMO ballot title approved", Capital Press, 8/13/12 (posted 8/27/12). Link

"USDA Announces Partial Deregulation for Roundup Ready Sugar Beets", USDA News Release, 2/4/11 (posted 2/7/11). Link

APHIS Record of Decision, "Glyphosate-Tolerant Alfalfa Events J101 and J163: Request for Nonregulated Status", 1/27/11 (posted/1/31/11). Link

H.R. 5577, "Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act" (introduced 2010)
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to deem a food misbranded if it contains or was produced with a genetically engineered material unless its labeling contains statements meeting specified requirements.
News article | Link
Same bill introduced in 2005 as H.R. 5268 and H.R. 5269.

H.R. 4167, "National Uniformity for Food Act" (introduced 2005)
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for uniform food safety warning notification requirements, and for other purposes. Link

H.R. 5266, "Genetically Engineered Crop and Animal Farmer Protection Act" (introduced 2006)
To provide additional protections for farmers and ranchers that may be harmed economically by genetically engineered seeds, plants, or animals, to ensure fairness for farmers and ranchers in their dealings with biotech companies that sell genetically engineered seeds, plants, or animals, and for other purposes. Link

H.R. 5267, "Genetically Engineered Pharmaceutical and Industrial Crop Safety Act of 2005" (introduced 2005)
To prohibit the open-air cultivation of genetically engineered pharmaceutical and industrial crops, to prohibit the use of common human food or animal feed as the host plant for a genetically engineered pharmaceutical or industrial chemical, to establish a tracking system to regulate the growing, handling, transportation, and disposal of pharmaceutical and industrial crops and their byproducts to prevent human, animal, and general environmental exposure to genetically engineered pharmaceutical and industrial crops and their byproducts, and for other purposes. Link

H.R. 5270, "Real Solutions to World Hunger Act of 2005" (introduced 2005)
To ensure that efforts to address world hunger through the use of genetically engineered animals and crops actually help developing countries and peoples while protecting human health and the environment, and for other purposes. Link

H.R. 5271, "Genetically Engineered Organism Liability Act of 2005" (introduced 2006)
To assign liability for injury caused by genetically engineered organism. Link

TOP OF PAGE

By State

All resolutions, with the exception of Arkansas, New York, Texas and Vermont, are provided by the Organic Consumers' Association website

Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology Fact Sheet: State Legislative Activity Related to Agricultural Biotechnology in 2005 (June 2006)

Status of U.S. Seed & Plant Laws
Environmental Commons website

Alaska
Bill passed requiring labeling of GE fish (SB 25)

Arizona
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (SB 1282)

Arkansas
Proposed bill

Colorado
Resolution (Boulder)

Florida
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (HB 1717) | SB 858 (substituted for HB 1717)

Georgia
Senate bill regulating sale and labeling of seed

Idaho
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (HB 38)

Indiana
Bill passed regulating sale & labeling of seed (HB 1302)

Iowa
Bill passed regulating sale & labeling of seed (HF 642)

Kansas
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (HB 2341)

Maine
Website | Towns of Brooklyn and Liberty have passed non-binding resolutions declaring themselves "GE free." (Source: Food For Maine's Future) | "Montville passes ordinance to ban genetically engineered crops", Boston Globe, 3/31/08

Minnesota
Resolution (Minneapolis)
Bill passed to protect wild rice DNA (HF1663) | News article, 5/29/07

New Mexico
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed - Food Uniformity Act (HB 4167)

Ohio
Bill passed regarding sale and labeling of seed (HB 66)

Oklahoma
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (HB 1471)

Oregon

"Judge strikes down GMO ban in Oregon’s Josephine County", Capital Press, 5/16/16

Measure 2-89 on May 19, 2015 ballot in Benton County, "Local Food System Ordinance" Genetically Modified Organism Ban (link to initiative text | News article dated 4/8/15)

Voters in two Oregon counties approved ballot measures to ban cultivation of genetically engineered crops within their boundaries (news article dated 5/21/14).
| Ordinance passed in Jackson County (PDF)

Pennsylvania
House bill regulating sale and labeling of seed | Article regarding bill (may make local & county GE crop bans illegal)

South Dakota
SB179 - allows seed patent holders to enter private property to take crop samples to determine seed infringement | SB152 - allows state Department of Agriculture to adopt rules governing sale, storage and transportation of seed

Texas
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (HB 2313)

Vermont
Bill regarding liability from use of GE seeds and plant parts (passed by the Senate April 2005, to be voted on by the House in January) | GE-Free Vermont website | BIO Statement: Vermont House of Representatives Affirms Protection for Farmers, 1/4/06 | S.18 - liability resulting from the use of genetically engineered seeds and plant parts (vetoed by Governor Douglas on 5/15/06)

West Virginia
Bill passed regulating sale and labeling of seed (SB 580)

Washington
Initiative passed banning the production of GMOs (Proposition 2014-4), 11/6/12 | "San Juan bans the growing of GMOs", The Examiner, 11/7/12

TOP OF PAGE

  The Law Library of Congress offers reports regarding the legislation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gentically modified (GM) plants and foods in various countries. Visit the Restrictions on Genetically Modified Organisms pageto view the legislation available by country.

Regulatory issues related to genetically engineered crops have been addressed to varying levels in countries around the world. GAIN (Global Agricultural Information Network) reports, developed by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service released reports by country covering:
  • Biotechnology Trade and Production
  • Policy
  • Marketing issues
  • Capacity Building
  • Outreach
In 2009, the GAIN Report System was redesigned, and the new system was tested and refined between February 16 and July 2, 2009. During this period, FAS overseas posts had the option of submitting their reports to the legacy (old) GAIN system, the new GAIN system, or to both.

Because of this option, users searching for reports released between February 16 and July 2, 2009, should check BOTH the new GAIN and the legacy GAIN systems.

All reports entered after July 2, 2009 are available at: http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Lists/Advanced%20Search/AllItems.aspx

All historical GAIN Reports since 1995 and prior to February 16, 2009, are available at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/AttacheRep/legacy.asp

 

Page updated 11/29/16