Events

For the Love of Kalo & Kope!

Created by KAHEA (See other events)
  • Oct 8, 2008 all day
  • Location: HILO- Ben Franklin Building, County Council Office
  • Latest Activity: Jul 30, 2021
It's Time!Love local Hawaiian food & agriculture? Here's your opportunity to voice your support for a historic, groundbreaking new law that would ban GMO (genetically modified) Taro and Coffee on Hawai'i Island!Click Here, it's easy to submit testimony of support, no matter where you live!MUST Submit Testimony by TUESDAY October 7thThis Oct. 8th will be the final Hawai'i County Council vote on Bill 361Public hearing in HILO- Ben Franklin Building, 2nd Floor. County Council OfficeSo Much Support So Far!- Introduced by Council Member Angel Pilago, Bill 361 would ban the growing of genetically modified Taro and Coffee on the Big Island.- This bill has received overwhelming public & political support, and has already successfully passed through two Council votes to make it to this FINAL VOTE.- If the bill passes this last vote it will go on for final approval by Mayor Harry Kim of Hawaii County.- At this critical moment this effort needs massive support more than ever- the local farmers and consumers need help standing up against the strong-arming by huge multinational corporations.Kalo & Kona Coffee are perfect as they are!If allowed, GMO taro could threaten taro's important status as the world's only hypoallergenic carbohydrate source!Taro farming in Hawaii is an unique local tradition. There are now innovative and successful agricultural efforts underway to improve the local taro industry and perpetuate valuable Hawaiian taro varieties.Long-term experiments have proven that the best way to comprehensively protect taro from disease blights is to grow many different varieties, improve soil quality and provide adequate water. There is no need or demand for GMO interference and industry control of local taro farming.Genetic modification of this indigenous plant is also extremely disrespectful to the sacred genealogy of taro to Hawaiians, who view taro as an ancestral family member, Haloa.If allowed, GMO coffee would erode the demand, drop prices, and destroy the local economy for pure Kona coffee. It would also make organic coffee growing virtually impossible.Lessons learned: The local papaya industry was economically devastated by the introduction of GMO-papaya. Rejection of Hawaiian grown GMO-papaya by Japan dropped the value of the local papaya industry by over 50%. Sadly, about 40% of papaya farmers were forced out of business. Meanwhile, the value of the organic & conventional (non-GMO) papaya industry has increased.Click here to find out more about the GMO problems, read the Bill 361, and easily submit testimony.If you are on the Big Island, please read:Please attend this crucial hearing. While multi-national corporations seeking GMO patents and profits have deep pockets and resources, local communities depend on committed citizens to defend our rights to a clean environment and safe food. It is the dedication of those who care deeply about the future of food, culture and agriculture in Hawaii that makes the difference!Let us learn from the economic & environmental destruction already caused by the GMO industry in the Philippines, Mexico, India, South America and farming communities all across America! Let's make sure it doesn't happen in Hawaii! We can and must show that Hawaii Island wants sustainable, pono, non-GMO agricultural job opportunities and will stand-up to protect our local agricultural economy & environment!
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