COM 0883.002 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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JAN-04-2000 09:41 HARC 8081.965020 F. )I J5 HARC Hawaii Agriculture Research Center 99-193 Aiea Heights Drive, Suite 300 Area, Hawaii 96701 Ph: 808-487-55611Fax: 808 808-486-5020 TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT RES. 463-08 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING H.B. 1577 HDl. TO TEMPORARILY PROHIBIT THE GROWING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED COFFEE FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS AND AT THE SAME TIME PERMIT RESEARCH IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SECURE FACILITY January 8, 2008 Dear Members of the Committee: My name is Stephanie Whalen. I am President and Research Director of the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC). I am testifying today on behalf of the center, our research and support staff, and our members and clients. HARC STRONGLY OPPOSES RES. 463-08, supporting H.B. 1577 H.D.1 to temporarily prohibit the growing of genetically modified coffee for a period of five years and at the same time permit research in an environmentally secure facility which proposes a prohibition on the genetically modified coffee in the state of Hawaii as unnecessary and potentially damaging to the innovative image the state has been trying to nurture for the last decade. HARC understands the marketing fear that has been generated concerning this type of research. However, it continues to be advocates within the industry itself that keeps the link between genetic modification and Kona coffee alive. Why are they doing this? The research community has already provided assurances that the industry will be a part of the discussicn as to whether any new coffee product advances. And as I point out later in this testimony, it takes willin(,, financial partners to advance research material to commercialization. The biggest problem with this anti-movement is its proponents' unwillingness to acknowledge the possibility of coexistence of all forms of agricultural production. This has already been demonstrated feasible by national and international farmers and they have done it in com. Corn is a crop that readily cross pollinates and is the subject of much of the adventitious presence concerns. Many entrepreneurial farmers see added value in having access to all markets and use the well-understood reproductive cycle for corn to control their planting, harvesting and marketing. In this case we are not talking about corn but coffee which has its own biological reproductive scheme. Coffee primarily is a self pollinator. Although out crossing can occur in coffee, it should not be thought of as having the same pollen movement concerns as a corn plart. Hawaii Agriculture Research Center Page 1 Comm: NO. 8~ 3 7- Ref. Toftaen?ed FMC- Ref. Date • ANR ~n~ _