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k~ebruary 1997 ~ Environmenr Hawai i ~ Pace;
<br /> tction. Thar plan included conducting xicago's O`Haze airport. By November
<br /> Irradiation meetings with manufacturers of irradiation x994, Wong had invited Jim and Paula
<br /> from page z instruments, determining potential mazkets, Corrigan, owners of Carrot Top, ro Hawai`i
<br /> coordinating efforts with federal and private "to meet with growers and to help lay out
<br /> that it "may be a dollaz value subject co some senor agencies, exploring the "possibihry of a business plan" kr the marketing of irradi-
<br /> debate.") congressional appropriation," and discussing aced fmit.
<br /> ` ~X/ith the phase-down ofsugaz and pine- the possibility of devek:nic g irradiation By establishing that a mazket existed for
<br />
<br /> -apple in Hawai`i," Kitagawa wntinued, "an facilities jointly with the Hawaii Sugar irradiazed Hawaiian fruit on the mainland,
<br /> unprecedented amount of prime agricuhural Planters' Association (whose name has since Wong felt, the stare would be in a better
<br /> land will become available in Hawaii for been changed co the Hawaii Agricultural position to make the rase for an irradiation
<br /> diversified agriculture. The local marker for Reseazch Center). facihry co be bulk in Hawaii.
<br /> newandexoticcropsislimited.Asaresuh,xhe InFebruazyr994,Wongattendedanirra-
<br /> full potential for diversified agriculture in diacion workshop in Gainesville, Florida, `
<br /> Hawaii will depend on the development of sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agri- The president oflsomedix
<br /> akernativepost-harvesttreatmentsorthesuc- culture. Accompanying Wong were James
<br /> cessful eradication of Emit flies in Hawai i, Moy of the University of Hawaii College of ,found meetings in Hawai `i
<br /> which would allow dae umethered expott of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to have been "very helpful
<br /> fmitsandvegetablesxomainlandandforeign andHarveyChanoftheUSDA'sAgricultutal to our
<br /> furtherundetstanding
<br /> markets." Reseazch Service in Hilo. In his summary of
<br /> While eradication is the "best long-term theworkshop, Wongstaced, "itwasappazent ofthe Hawaiian agricultural
<br /> solution,° Kitagawa rold Herkes, "for the to the Hawaii delegation that Hawaii economy the status of
<br /> the
<br /> near term, an alternative ro eradication is a could play a pivotal role with regazds to tropical
<br /> fruit industry and
<br /> poso-harvest treatment with broad applica- - irradiation terhnolog~ development in the the need and desire or a
<br /> dons to many crops. Irradiation is such a U.S. Discussions with USDA officials and f
<br /> method." industry representatives (Nordion, V¢rdira- ~ radtdtzon faCtlity
<br /> foY
<br /> tor) regazding a possible joint venture effort quarantine control "
<br /> `It was a anent... on irradiation between the state of Hawaii,
<br /> PP USDA-ARS, and industry was well received
<br /> that Hawai `i could
<br /> play and encouraged." Litnired Entry
<br /> a pivotal role with regards to The shipments ofuncreated Hawaiian fruit
<br /> irradiation technolo `~-OurEff°rr xo Chicago began on April 4, 1995. By the
<br /> Inrhenexxfewmonths, Wongmadecontacc end of x996, nearly nvo dozen shipments
<br /> deve%pment in the IJ.S. " with irradiation technologycompanies in the had been made. As explained by Wong, xhe
<br /> -Lyle Wong United States and began discussions with a fruit to be shipped is delivered to a Hono-
<br /> Chicago-azearetailer, CazrotTop, interested lulu food brokec, Ham Produce & Seafood,
<br /> in carrying irradiated Hawaiian fruits. As Inc., which arranges for the produce to be
<br /> For years, treatmenx with the fumigant eazlyasMazchr99q,hehaddrakedascenario sold to one of more distributors on the
<br /> ethylene dibromide allowed for expott of for a possible joint venture for a commodity mainland. The broker pays the cost of
<br /> H;nvaiiancrops.WhenuseofEDBwaspro- irradiator. Partnersintheendeavor,estimated shipping, while thedistribucorspaythecost
<br /> hibited, papaya growers, working with the locosts5million,wererhestateDepartment of Irradiating the fruit (about z5 cents a
<br /> U.S. Department of Agriculture, developed of Agriculture, the USDA, associations of pound, Wong has said).
<br /> alternative methods of creating their fruit Hawaii growers, a Canadian manufarnrrer Under terms of the limited USDA per-
<br /> with vapor heat or hoc water. of cobalt-Go source material, and a private mil allowing the shipments, Wong rold
<br /> Inr~89,cheUSDAandrheFoodandDrug wmpanywithexperienceinmanagingafood Environmenr Hawaii, it is necessary for
<br /> Administration approved a treatmenx proto- irradiation facility. someone from Hawaii to accompany the
<br /> col for papayas involving irradiation of the Under Wong's hypothetical scenazio, the shipments xo ensure that the strict require-
<br /> fruit. However, xhere was little incenxive For state would pick up 49 percent of the cost, mena of the permit ate carried out. Wong
<br /> Hawaiian papaya growers and shippers to wichtheUSDAprovidin$35percent.Thetwo has made several trips, as have other state
<br /> pursue this treatment option. They had in- companieswouldeachcontributea7percent Department of Agriculture employees.
<br /> vested more than szo million in heat-treat- shaze, while the growers would contribute Other people accompanying the ship-
<br /> ment sysrems here. Moreover, exports to r-z percent. menns have included members of the state
<br /> Japan, which represent a substantial fraction Wong also approached the USDA about Exotic Pest Insect Committee. This com-
<br /> (around z5 percent) of the papaya expott allowing untreared Hawaiian fruits to be mittee, formerly called the Hawaii State
<br /> market, cannot be irradiazed. shipped to the mainland for treatment at an Fruit Fly Committee, was established ro
<br /> Aker the letter to Herkes, Wong began ro irradiation facility xhere. Because ofconcerns eradicare fruit flies, bur has recently de-
<br /> spend more time and effort developing irra- abou[ the spread of fruit Flies inro California voted most of its efforts -and much of its
<br /> diacion as a means of increasing expotts of and Florida, these states were ruled out as budge[-ropromotingirradiation.Anwng
<br /> Hawaiian crops. In September grid October porential treatmentsites-even though both [he committee's members are several of the
<br /> r993, he convened several meetings with rep- have irradiation facilities. Eventually, the growers whose fruit is irradiated and mar-
<br /> resrnruives of other state agencies, growers, USDA agreed xo permit shipments of fruit ro keted under this program.
<br /> and researchers, none of whom appears ro an Isomedix, Inc., irradiation facilirv in
<br /> h:rvcvoicedanyobjeaionstoWong'splanof Morton Grove, Illinois, nor far from See"lrrndinrinu';~,,,5,..;
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