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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Gold Hill approves legal expenditure "to protect" city manager Ashland boy dies after long battle with cancer Peavine Creek Fire fully lined 10 things to know for Thursday Emergency services Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Peavine Creek Fire fully lined Emergency services Appeals court rules against Central Point schools on bus outsourcing East Medford burglar pleads guilty Peavine Creek fire north of Glendale grows to 120 acres Politics and Elections Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. 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Dana Milbank: Huckabee's ill-fated quest Kathleen Parker: Matters of perception Michael Gerson: The intricate knot of urban poverty Kathleen Parker: Wife of the party Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Celebrating our feathered friends Blog: Sorcerer-historians and hunted boats Antionette Kerr: Mother’s Day founder challenged commercialism Breathe easier with whole-house air purification Religion News: Vatican newspaper denounces Muhammad cartoons Food Community blog: Teatime is anytime when recipes brew new dishes Eat your greens (tea, that is) Season Stepp: Make some cheesecake mousse-filled strawberries Page H. 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Search on for new medical provider for Butte Falls, Prospect clinics Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Drones helping create unique wedding photos Pick your favorite wedding flowers The ring’s the thing Chic brides are choosing a range of complementary colors for their celebration Registries: ‘Year of the groom’ Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Dancing People Company presents 'Salon Series' Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest Tina Malia at SOU Music Hall in Ashland Los Lonely Boys and Lucas Nelson at the Rogue Theatre Page Hamilton comes home Theater REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Music Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Tina Malia at SOU Music Hall in Ashland Earthquake benefit for Nepal Los Lonely Boys and Lucas Nelson at the Rogue Theatre Community Events Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Movies Victor D. Infante: ‘Avengers’ begs the questions, ‘Why superheroes, and why now?’ Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Dining Trium is a classic example of a boutique winery Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Many happy returns for Singler ... Ashland boy dies after long battle with cancer ... Peavine Creek Fire fully lined ... Many happy returns for Singler ... Ashland boy dies after long battle with cancer ... Peavine Creek Fire fully lined ... BENTON COUNTY OSU warns that Benton County GMO ban could hurt research Oregon State University warns bill's language may halt many projects Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 4, 2015 at 8:03 PM By The Associated Press Posted May. 4, 2015 at 8:03 PM » Social News CORVALLIS — Oregon State University says a Benton County ballot measure that seeks to ban the cultivation of genetically modified crops in the county could hurt GMO-related university research projects. Backers of Measure 2-89, the Local Food System Ordinance of Benton County, say the ordinance is limited to food crops. Its goal is to protect farmers from GMO contamination and keep corporations that sell GMO seeds from taking over the county's agricultural base. The measure would also grant legal rights to soil, plants and water. University officials fear the measure could affect a host of non-food university projects that use genetic engineering techniques or GMO's, The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports. OSU officials point to a section of the ordinance that states: "It shall be unlawful for any corporation or governmental entity to engage in the use of genetically engineered organisms within Benton County." "Our general counsel's office has done a review of the ballot measure as written and has a strong concern that that language, whether intended or otherwise, would impact the use of genetically engineered organisms at Oregon State University," said university spokesman Steve Clark. Projects that could be affected, the university says, include testing on transgenic mice to discover tumor-suppressing therapy, genetically engineering poplar trees to make them tolerant to herbicides and unable to cross-pollinate, or genetically engineering viruses to protect vineyards from disease and insect damage. Research on possible treatments of ALS, a degenerative neurological disorder, could also come to a halt. OSU researcher Joe Beckman uses genetically engineered bacteria to produce proteins with potential therapeutic value, and he tests those proteins on laboratory mice genetically engineered to develop ALS. Thanks to genetic engineering, Beckman's lab has been able to develop a drug that appears to slow or even halt the progression of ALS in mice. If the measure passes, Beckman said he worries he may no longer be able to pursue his work. "We're working with the FDA, and we're hopeful to be testing in humans within a year," he said. Private biotech firms operating in Benton County have also expressed concern about the measure. Siga Technologies, which has a $433 million contract to provide anti-smallpox drugs to the Strategic National Stockpile, uses genetic engineering to develop drugs. Philomath-based company Gene Tools is working on a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. In an email to the newspaper, the company's CEO Jim Summerton said the measure could spell a major setback for researchers like him. "We are now experiencing a quantum leap in humanity's ability to improve the properties of plants and animals," Summerton said, "except perhaps in Benton County if our local Luddites (anti-technology folks) succeed in getting voters to pass Measure 2-89." Proponents of the measure insist the GMO ban would not affect most university or private research. OSU would have to take out its field tests of agricultural GM crops, they say. But any other non-food related projects could go on unhampered, said Stephanie Hampton of Benton Food Freedom, the coalition of organic farmers and anti-corporate activists behind the measure. Hampton said a ruling by Benton County Circuit Court Judge Locke Williams made it clear the measure contains only one subject, protecting the local food system — a constitutional requirement for a citizen initiative to be placed on the ballot in Oregon. But Benton County Counsel Vance Croney — who would have to defend the measure from legal challenges if it passes — said the measure includes the whole spectrum of research involving GMOs. If it passes, it's unclear whether the ban would have any teeth — the Oregon Legislature in 2013 prohibited ballot measures and local governments' GMO bans. According to the measure's backers, a local food system ordinance would pre-empt that state law. Voters will get a say on the measure on May 19. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 4, 2015 at 8:03 PM » 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. calendar Connect with MailTribune.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 Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked 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 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. 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