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<br /> s <br /> TESTIM. i' IN SUPPORT OF IRRADIATION . _%ILITY <br /> John C. Cross <br /> Mauna Kea Agribusiness Co., Ina RECEIVED <br /> To: Hawait County Council _ -t-f}~_l _ _ <br /> 25 Aupuni St. Date^ Covnty Council ' ~ <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> My name is John C. Cross, I am the Director of Diversified Crop Development for Mauna Kea <br /> Agribusiness Co., a subsidiary of C. Brewer & Company. <br /> Until 1994 MKAC used to cultivate approximately 18,000 acres of sugazcane. Upon shutdown <br /> of our sugarcane operations12,500 acres of fee simple owned land became idle. Since then we <br /> have been actively offering our lands to displaced employees and other individuals for <br /> diversified crop uses. Our company offers land by way of short term crop Licenses, Long term <br /> leases, Leases with purchase option, and Fee simple land ownership. The response to our lands <br /> has been phenominal. At present we have over 200 farmers on our former cane lands occupying <br /> close to 9,000 acres. <br /> It is well known that our climate and soil are great for root crops such as ginger, taro and sweet <br /> potato. However one of the most sucessful new crop uses developing on the coast has been <br /> tropical fruits. At present we have over 300 acres in Banana, 870 acres in Papaya with another <br /> 400 soon to be planted, and finally 120 acres in lease to "exotic tropicals" such as Rambutan, <br /> Lychee and Mangosteen. It is in this last category of exotics where I see a growing interest and <br /> demand for land. Including lands under other ownership I estimate some 250 acres aze now or <br /> soon will be planted to these fruit tree crops...but the the potential is much, much greater. There <br /> is a mazket, a demanding export market at that, for these crops. However, due to fruitfly and <br /> other nest quazantines. we must treat to "disinfest" all exported fruits and crops. <br /> As a representative of my company, as a member of the Hilo coast farming community, and as <br /> someone who works daily and personally in the diversification of former sugarcane lands, I <br /> wholeheartedly support the construction of an irradiation facility for our tropical crops. The <br /> potential use of this facility is not limited to the benefit of tropical fruit growers but has the <br /> potential to benefit other crops such as ginger and taro. <br /> We need to support and develop our Big Island agriculture industry. Industry being the <br /> operative word. Subsistence farming within the state is not enough to support an agricultural <br /> industry. We need outside dollars coming into the state, outside dollazs building and growing <br /> our economy. Outside dollars only come with export of products. Hawaii farmers nuture and <br /> harvest the best quality tropical agricultural products in the World...this is proven and without <br /> doubt. The irradiation facility will maintain and even enhance that quality. Other treatment <br /> methods such as cold storage and heat treatments have shown to blemish and damage the crop <br /> quality. <br /> There is no need to question the health and safety aspects of an irradiation facility. Please <br /> support Resolution 62 and please support the establishment of an irradiation facility in the <br /> County of Hawaii with whatever means possible. ~ 21 ~ ~ ~S- <br /> ~Il® Fa <br /> Ref. 1b: ~esenfed f <br /> >~ei. >~te IAPR 2 4 139'7 <br /> ~ - <br /> <br />