“DNA” means “deoxyribonucleic acid,” which is the genetic material that is present in every cell of an organism and is the “blueprint” for the organism’s development.

“Genetic contamination” means the dispersal or spread of altered genetic information from genetically engineered organisms into the genomes of organisms in which such genes are not present in nature, such as by cross-pollination.

“Genetically engineered,” “genetically modified” or “transgenic” means modification of living plants, animals, and other organisms by genetic engineering. Examples of genetic engineering and modification include, but are not limited to: altering or amending DNA using recombinant DNA technology such as gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, or changing the position of genes, and includes cell fusion (including protoplast fusion), microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene splicing, or hybridization techniques that overcome natural physiological, reproductive, or recombination barriers, where the donor cells/protoplasts do not fall within the same taxonomic species and in a way that does not occur by natural multiplication or natural recombination.

“Genetically modified organism” or “GMO” means any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material produced through the use of modern biotechnology genetic engineering techniques, separate from naturally occurring processes. For purposes of this chapter, genetically engineered or modified organisms do not include organisms created by traditional selective breeding, burning practices, fermenting, conjugation, normal in vitro fertilization or hybridization, or microorganisms created by moving genes or gene segments between unrelated bacteria.

“In vitro nucleic acid techniques” include but are not limited to recombinant DNA or RNA techniques that use vector systems and techniques involving the direct introduction into the organisms of hereditary materials prepared outside the organism such as microinjection, macroinjection, chemoporation, electroporation, microencapsulation and liposome fusion, and any other technology or technique that results in an organism that contains genes from more than one species, or genes that are not naturally occurring.

“Natural seeds” or “natural organisms” means seeds or organisms that do not possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology and have not been genetically modified or engineered. Natural seeds or organisms include those seeds or organisms created by selective breeding or hybridization methods.

“Organism” means any living thing. [Ord. 46 § 8010, adopted, 12/10/2015.]