Local farmers and environmental groups in Hawaii are rallying to support a law that prohibits the expansion of genetically engineered, or GE, crops.
The groups are backing a county ordinance which is being challenged in court by the world's biggest biotech trade association.
The ordinance aims to protect the land and environment from being harmed by the effects of GE crop production.
A senior lawyer from the Agricultural NGO Centre For Food Safety, George Kimbrell, is involved in the case and says people have come together to support the county ruling.
I think people were alarmed I mean, I've done this work nationally for ten years or so and we've helped counties across the country pass similar ordinances and there has never been any litigation. So this is really the first time that the industry has sued over one of these laws.
George Kimbrell from Centre For Food Safety.
The NGO Earthjustice says the GE companies have been turning the islands into experimental laboratories.
