Multinational Corporations Challenging Pesticide Disclosure Law

The U.S. District Court of Hawaii recently granted a Motion to Intervene jointly presented by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice on behalf of several community non-profit groups.
The order allows the groups to participate in a lawsuit filed by Syngenta and other pesticide companies challenging Kaua’i’s County Ordinance 960. The order allows the groups, represented by council from CFS and Earthjustice, to defend the County of Kaua‘i’s 2013 pesticide disclosure law from the pesticide companies’ legal challenge.

The non-profit groups include: Center for Food Safety, Surfrider Foundation, Pesticide Action Network North America and Ka Makani Ho‘opono.

Ordinance 960 (formerly known as Bill 2491) provides residents of Kaua‘i public access to information related to the application of pesticides used in experimental and commercial agricultural operations within the County of Kaua‘i. It also affords County residents and their environment greater protection from and information about potential pesticide drift and the impact of growing experimental genetically engineered crops on Kaua’i.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision, which allows us to vigorously defend this sound and important law,” said George Kimbrell, senior attorney for Center for Food Safety.
Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff commented, “These community groups deserve to have their own lawyers represent them in court. They’re the Kaua’i residents who are most affected by the chemical companies’ activities.”

The Kaua‘i County Council voted to enact Ordinance 960 in November 2013, overriding Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s veto. In January 2014, Syngenta, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (owned by DuPont), Agrigenetics, Inc. (owned by Dow Chemical) and BASF Plant Science LP sued the County, claiming the law is not legally valid.