http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2008/10/09/local/local08.txtCouncil bans GMO taro, coffeeby Jim QuirkWest Hawaii Todayjquirk@westhawaiitoday.comThursday, October 9, 2008 10:59 AM HSTHILO -- The genetic modification of taro and coffee on the Big Island is now a banned practice.The Hawaii County Council voted 9-0 Wednesday in favor of a bill from North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago on its second reading to ban genetically modified taro and coffee.It was a circus-like atmosphere Wednesday in Hilo's Ben Franklin building, where the meeting was held. Children played in the hallways outside of the council chambers waiting for their chance to speak along with their parents. A man standing in the hallway corner sang as he strummed the strings of a guitar.The council, meanwhile, listened to a different tune, one delivered by the seemingly endless convoy of residents who took turns at the microphone to give their two cents on the proposed ban.About 70 residents testified in Hilo, while about 30 testified via teleconference from the council offices in Waimea and Kona. There have been no major complaints about banning genetically modified taro, but with coffee it's a different story.On one side of the debate are those who believe genetic modification of coffee could eventually spell disaster for the island's coffee industry. Off-island buyers would not be interested in Kona coffee that has been purposely or accidentally genetically modified, the proponents believe.Then there are residents who believe, among other things, without genetic modification of coffee, there will be no scientific answers when disease strikes and destroys Big Island coffee.A vast majority of residents who spoke Wednesday said they were in favor of the ban.Dr. Hector Valenzuela, a vegetable crops extension specialist with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said he -- unlike all of his peers at the college -- supports the bill.He said the scientific community should be concentrating on aspects of agricultural research, such as teaching farmers how to sustain crops without having to rely on chemicals, rather than genetic modification.Bill proponent Chuck Moss, a Kona coffee farmer, said one potentiality of genetically modified coffee is that experiments in creating coffee trees without caffeine could spread to other trees. If that happened, it would be hard to market Kona coffee, he said."How can you tell the difference from a regular tree from a decaf tree, or a regular bean from a decaf bean?" Moss asked.Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong furnished results of a poll he conducted recently that shows 82 percent of 89 Big Island coffee farmers support the bill.He said during a separate interview that his office identified isle coffee farmers using the phone book, Internet and personal knowledge.During a previous meeting, representatives of the Hawaii Coffee Council indicated a majority of island coffee farmers are against the bill, Yagong said, which is why he wanted to conduct a poll to find out for sure.Hilo Councilman Stacy Higa, who voted against the bill on its first reading, said Yagong's survey changed his mind.Mayor Harry Kim, who is still not back to work full time because of his recent heart attack, made an appearance early in the meeting and expressed concerns that the bill wouldn't allow genetic testing of coffee in the lab setting.He requested the council consider developing a system where research at places like the University of Hawaii at Hilo would be able to continue.Kim could attempt to veto the bill, but it seems unlikely it would succeed because of the unanimous council vote Wednesday.
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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.
Art kindly donated by Solomon Enos, Hawaiian Artist/Farmer. Support Native Art- www.HawaiianArtPlaza.com!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.What is a GMO?GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are plant mutants created by inserting genes from one species into another unrelated species, using virus & bacteria to transfer the genes. For example, forcing wheat genes into taro, or bacteria genes into corn. These man-made organisms can be patented and owned. Organic food growers have rejected GMO, and GMO food cannot be certified organic. This experimental technique is crude and imprecise, unsafe, unnatural and rejected by the governments of most nations and the majority of the world's population.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!Wednesday October 8thHILO- Ben Franklin Building, 2nd Floor. County Council Office.We Know Better, So Let's Tell 'Em!Bill 361 is a very important step to maintaining local control over our island food resources, consumer safety, environmental protections and economic opportunity. We have a real chance to create meaningful reform, to protect taro, and our heritage coffee for all future generations that are to come. Pests and disease in agriculture can be solved by ecological and sustainable means; we need to move in that direction. It is time for everyone to speak for community food self-reliance, and GMO coffee and taro does not move us in that direction. We need the Council to send a strong and unanimous message on this bill to the Mayor: Hawai'i Island wants protection and preservation for our unique heritage crops, that sustain our life, our families, and our communities.Mahalo nui for your support at this unique time in history.Please send this message on to all in your ohana and communities, that would want to know of this unique and powerful opportunity.Malama Haloa!Us Guys at KAHEAThe Hawaiian-Environmental Alliancewww.kahea.orgblog.kahea.orgtoll free phone/fax 1-888-528-6288
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Hulo, hulo! Kaua'i passes their resolution to support the moratorium. Read the article in the Kaua'i Garden Island at- http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/03/28/news/news01.txtIf you are interested in these kinds of issues and would like to join our listserve let me know and I'll add you on to our biodiversity listserve.
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