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JAN-04-2008 09:40 HARC 808.865020 ?.,1n3 This document will explain the process of technology transfer for agricultural products. But firm, I would like to address some generalizations stated in Section 1 of SB 958 that lead readers to perceptions that are not supported by additional information. '....swift and pervasive.... quick acceptance' It is true as stated that the technology addressed in this proposed legislation has been rapicly adopted by both large and small farmers throughout the developed and developing countries. Over 10 million farmers, of which 90% are small resource-poor farmers from developing countries, are planting engineered commodity (large acreage) crops: soybeans, maize, cottcn, and canola. As with most new agricultural tools with wide-spread application they are introduced to the largest markets first. The technology is not proliferating in specialty crops found in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Florida, etc., because of the uncertainty in the requirements of the regulatory process (currently case by case, crop by crop and event by event) and public acceptance: both embroiled in political and emotional struggles. Quick acceptance o) commercialized products is not equal to availability of lots of different engineered products. Z has occurred with other innovative tools in the history of agriculture economics and acceptance, not availability, will determine which crops adopt this technology. Since the earliest agricu.lturd innovation in 1701 AD advances in this area have been controversial. The current experience no different. ,...may pose serious consequences for the health and safety of our citizens...' It has been documented world-wide by numerous countries' expert advisory/task force panels. international scientific professional associations, and Nobel Prize winners that the engineered products in the marketplace are safe and that the technology can be used sai:ely. The WTO recently ruled that the European Union's moratorium on genetically modified crops had no scientific basis and that its ban was illegal. The process that allows for the deregulation of the crops in the marketplace throughout the world obviously worked with respect to the health and safety of the products. What basis is there to claim that it will not continue to work with respeo to the health and safety of the products? Of all the new food products introduced into the marketplace products utilizing this technology are the most regulated. I think it is important to understand the process of research and development in agriculture and new agricultural product commercialization and how these two processes differ in time and funding sources. Research and Development Research does not produce instant results. New technologies are developed for major markets and take decades to be developed, if ever, for smaller markets. In this technology the process includes determining how to grow a plant in a tissue culture system from plant cells. This process often differs from plant to plant. Other steps are to determine what part of a plant is receptive to gene insertion, to acquire a useful gene and get it into a usable form, to insert the gene, to grow and select cells that acquired the inserted gene, to use the tissue culttu•e system to develop leaves, stalks and roots, to test the selected plants for the presence and functionality of RES 462-08-January 8, 2008 Page Hawaii Agriculture Research Center