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around. Our traditional varieties can become contaminated through the flowering process by the transfer of pollen by insects, wind, and man. Our customary sharing of huli will cease among some of our farmers for fear of getting GMO taro plants. The farmers will lose their right to grow the varieties that they choose to. After an organism, whether animal or plant, is Genetically Modified, the next step is that it is Patented. So then someone or some entity will own the GMO Taro plant. No one has ever owned Taro before. It was freely passed down from all of our ancestors and Hawaiian kupuna. It should not be owned. All the taro varieties that came before us today, mutated and evolved on their own and were selected and bred by Na Kahu o Haloa through their expertise and observation. No one can own this knowledge. In order to plant a patented taro, the farmer would need to sign a licensing agreement and then either pay for starts and/or give a percentage of his or her harvest. If a farmer was caught growing a patented taro with or without knowledge, he can be sued. The great buzzword is "Sustainability". What is that? From the words of Diane Zachary, President and CEO of Kauai Planning Action and Alliance, "Sustainability means creating strategies and taking action to harmonize 3 interrelated elements: the health of the natural environment, the social well being of our community and our economic prosperity." In my opinion, Taro is a prime example of sustainability. We need to take care of the land where we grow our taro. We have to maintain the irrigation systems that often go far into the mountains and are accessible only by foot trails. We are learning that the use of chemicals is not helping to grow good taro. We are learning that we need more land so that we can practice fallowing and rotation of crops which makes the soil more fertile and helps to break the disease cycles. We are needing to relearn how to use our green resources as part of our fertilization program. GMO taro does not foster a healthy community. First it makes the farmer dependent on someone else for the seed or planting material. The traditional sharing of huli will cease as some families fear contamination even within their own families. Huli has been traded for labor, Hawaiian salt, mountain pig, fish and limu. This sharing and trading ensures that we all have food to eat. Many times, farmers contribute kalo and luau to baby luaus, weddings, parties. But,this basic sharing could end with GMO taro as fear and distrust become common. The social well being of the community deteriorates as well as economic prosperity. This becomes unsustainable. Please support this Resolution so that Taro Farmers can continue to malama 'aina and grow healthful taro for our island people. We do not want, we do not need GMO taro. There are ways to grow healthy taro that need to be rediscovered and tested. Mahalo nui loa. May Ke Akua Bless you with Infinite Wisdom. Aloha, Chris Kobayashi P.O.Box 135 Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii 96714