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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland map app complements popular hard-copy version ... Aging Happens: Program offers certification of 'lifelong housing' ... Ashland High School bids farewell to barrier-breaking class of 2015 ... Ashland map app complements popular hard-copy version ... Aging Happens: Program offers certification of 'lifelong housing' ... Ashland High School bids farewell to barrier-breaking class of 2015 ... FRIDAY RULING Federal judge supports Jackson County's GMO ban Comment By The Associated Press DailyTidings.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 29, 2015 at 5:21 PM Updated May 30, 2015 at 10:12 AM By The Associated Press Posted May. 29, 2015 at 5:21 PM Updated May 30, 2015 at 10:12 AM » Social News A federal judge in Medford Friday ruled an impending ban on genetically modified crops in Jackson County is legal under state law. Bruce Schulz of Gold Hill and James and Marilyn Frink of Sams Valley had filed suit against the county in December 2014, arguing the county's GMO ban would cause them undue financial hardship and violated their constitutional rights. The ordinance, passed by voters in May 2014, allows farmers currently growing GMO crops to harvest them this season but requires them to remove all genetically modified crops within 12 months. A group of anti-GMO farmers calling themselves Our Family Farms Coalition joined the case as defendants in February after Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke ruled they had standing and could be impacted by a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. In an 11-page ruling granting the defendants a partial summary judgment, Clarke wrote that the case raised important questions about food safety and scarcity on a global level. "The court's decision today, however, does not attempt to answer any of these complex and difficult questions," Clarke wrote. "Today's decision is simply about the statutory construction of the Right to Farm Act, Jackson County Ordinance 635 and Oregon Senate Bill 863." Clarke said that since the Senate bill, which delegated regulation of GMOs to the state, made specific provisions for Jackson County's ordinance, the law was well within the provisions and intent of the state's Right to Farm Act, which he said was intended to prevent encroachment on or damage to commercial farms by outside interests and allows farmers to make claims for damages to their crops.  Attempts to reach the plaintiffs for comment late Friday were unsuccessful. "We were really pleased with the decision," said Elise Higley, an Applegate-area farmer and member of the Our Family Farms Coalition, while adding that proponents of the ban still need to be prepared for further proceedings and possible appeals. Higley pointed out that Clarke still has yet to rule on whether the county's ban constitutes undue deprivation of property to the plaintiffs.  Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at  [email protected] . Follow him at  @ThomasDMoriarty . By The Associated Press DailyTidings.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 29, 2015 at 5:21 PM Updated May 30, 2015 at 10:12 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501