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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Hawaii Papaya Industry Association <br /> <br /> <br /> I am here today because I deeply believe we need a strong <br /> agricultural foundation to take into the future. I am also here today <br /> because this resolution in support of HB 1577 puts the future of taro <br /> at risk. <br /> <br /> <br /> The diseases that could severely impact taro are only a plane ride or <br /> a ship voyage away. What we need is dedicated researchers and <br /> quarantine officers finding solutions to the potential new invasive <br /> species before they can get to Hawaii. <br /> <br /> <br /> We accomplish this by looking at taro, and each important crop, to <br /> find ways to stop new pests' introduction and develop ways to defeat <br /> them should these pests still make it to Hawaii. <br /> <br /> There are a number of tools that can be developed, and learning from <br /> the home of a new invasive is essential. Chemicals, identification of <br /> <br /> predators, cultural practices, traditional plant breeding for resistance <br /> are all ways to control new pests, but must be perfected before a <br /> new invasive gets established. Biotechnology is one of the tools that <br /> may be successful. Probably, like in the case of papaya, <br /> biotechnology will be a last resort because it is complex, expensive, <br /> and often slow to develop. But we don't have the luxury to ignore <br /> what can sometimes be a very sharp and effective tool. <br /> <br /> <br /> If you want an example of what can happen when new pest come in, <br /> there are many. Look at the effect of over 1000 invasive species <br /> since 1943, including the little fire ant, nettle caterpillar, leafminers, <br /> papaya mealybug, pink hibiscus mealybug, silverleaf whitefly, <br /> spiraling whitefly, giant whitefly, citrus blackfly, Asian citrus psyllid, <br /> oriental fruit fly, western flower thrips, banana rust thrips, erythirna <br /> <br /> gall wasp, hibiscus erineum mite,crab spider, African snail, golden <br /> apple snail, brown slug, in addition to numerous vertebrates (coqui <br /> frogs, giant day gecko, veiled chameleon) and weeds (Salvinia <br /> molesta, fireweed, gorse). <br /> <br /> Look at the example of the Papaya Industry. Even since Papaya <br /> <br /> Ringspot Virus nearly destroyed the industry in the early 1990's. <br />