COM 0882.045 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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can result in devastating crop losses, exceeding 90 percent during a recent epidemic in Samoa. CTAHR's research on genetically engineered 'Bun Long' taro is consistent with our agreement to honor community sentiment regarding the genetic engineering of Hawaiian taro. To date this research has been limited to laboratory studies. If in the future genetically engineered 'Bun Long' taro plants were to be grown outdoors, the chance that it could alter the genetic makeup of Hawaiian taro through cross-pollination is vanishingly small. The movement of genes from transgenic'Bun Long' taro to non- transgenic Hawaiian taro in Hawai'i is extremely unlikely, because 'Bun Long' taro rarely flowers under HawaiTs environmental conditions, insect pollinators that could move pollen from a 'Bun Long' flower to those of other taro varieties are not present in Hawai'i, and Hawaiian taro varieties rarely set viable seed in Hawai'i. For further information on the CTAHR project to increase disease resistance of Chinese taro through genetic engineering, I am attaching a research update. The moratorium proposed in SB 958, SDI, HD1 would limit scientific inquiry and discourage the expansion of human knowledge. When cultural traditions and academic freedom come into conflict, the solution is not legislative action to prevent discovery and innovation. Instead, we feel that the answer to such conflicts is dialog, the search for common ground, and the forging of voluntary agreements, such as the commitment CTAHR has made to refrain from the genetic engineering of Hawaiian taro at this time and to avoid initiating such research in the future without first obtaining community input on a case-by-case basis. For these reasons I respectfully oppose S6958, SDI, HD1 and Resolution 462-08. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.