BOULDER — Commissioners on Thursday directed the Boulder County staff to draft a plan for phasing out the growing of genetically engineered crops on county-owned farmland.
The county’s current cropland policy, which allows its tenant farmers to grow certain varieties of genetically modified corn and sugar beets on land they’re leasing, remains in effect at least through the end of this year.
But that policy, adopted in December 2011, has drawn fire from individuals and groups challenging the safety and impact of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, on human health, water, soils and the environment in general.
Conventional farmers now leasing those county lands have argued that GMO crops are safe, reduce the amounts of pesticides applied and water used, and increase productivity.
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