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<br /> MAY 19 ' 97 17 ~ 50 NELHR KONR P . 1 <br /> r <br /> ' I . _ _ ' ' <br /> May 19, 1997 <br /> Honorable ramts Y. Arakaki Couracit chair ' 9 7 Y 20 R(q 7 it 5 <br /> Hawaii Couray Council CcuP., ~ . <br /> 25 Aupwti Street COUNI'p' 0,= HAWgII <br /> Hilo, HI 96720 <br /> FAX : 969-3291 <br /> SCJI9JECT: SIlPPt]RT I+OA pOST'HARVES[' IRRADIATION <br /> Honorable James Arakaki; <br /> My name is James Frazier at~d I speak as a private atizen with a lengthy background in <br /> the agribusiness wmmttaity in the State of Hawaii. I am in favor of the County Council <br /> supporting the coustntcrion and operation of irradiation for the post harvest treatment of <br /> agricuhural products in this County. <br /> My background is agribusinti ss includes serving as Chairman of the Hawaii Fruit Fly <br /> Committee for a two year puiod begituuag in 1990. Tht charge of the Fruit Fly <br /> Committee was to develop a (protocol for the irradiation of the medtly from the Island of <br /> Kauai. The committee reprep~ <br /> anted the State's interest is cooperation with the USDA <br /> divisions of Agriculture Atsgarch Servict and Animal Plant Health Inspection Service <br /> (APHIS)- <br /> The planting of coffee on Kauai created a atajar host for the t»edfly and the population of <br /> this pest exploded. Testing of itradicatioa with the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) <br /> system indicated to researchers that the SIT program alone would not reduce the <br /> population, It was at that tittle that the Hawaii Fruit Fly Committee determined that a <br /> parallel faa,s t0 irradication'should be on post harvest treatment. Imdiation of many <br /> food products was an acceptable method of treatment and was receiving very Positive <br /> response is fresh littit such as strawbeities, Tbtreforo, 'wrth the oombtned efforts of <br /> individual cotruttodity grou{~s and the Hawaii Stale Department otAgricvhure, tests were <br /> conducted to evaluate the ef~'ectiveness of irradiation on tropical fruits and oa consumer <br /> response to these treated prpdttccts. Tht fruit responded very well to the treatment which <br /> meant that the target pests Were eliminated and the fivit }tad good shelf appearance for <br /> the consuming public. <br /> 71te tests wart in oonjunctio~t with a t#tajor fresh fruit distributor M Chicago. The <br /> tresttnettt facility is an the a~utskirts otChiago in an area that is der?sclY populated with <br /> more people than the entire State of Hawaii. This facility has bees viewed as being very <br /> positive for the consuming yublic and' is not viewed as bring negative on the health and <br /> welfare of those around it. <br /> . 22..393 <br /> l~resentp,~ I <br /> Ftcf. io:~_ <br /> 'tan'. i~ta_._MAY 2 0 1997 <br /> <br />