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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Agriculture and requires that precautions be taken before, during, and after the test to <br /> prevent the escape of the regulated transgenic plants or pollen from the test site. It <br /> should be noted that all commercial coffee in Hawaii is self-pollinated Arabica; this fact <br /> greatly reduces the possibility of flowers beginning fertilized by stray pollen even if <br /> carried by bees. <br /> <br /> This proposed moratorium would prevent the future development or use in Hawai'i of <br /> transgenic coffee cultivars with pest or disease resistance. Development or use of pest- <br /> or disease-resistant GM coffee would be banned even if an industry-threatening disease <br /> or pest outbreak were to result in strong support for GM coffee from the Big Island's <br /> coffee growers. By removing the option of using genetic modification to help Hawaii's <br /> coffee industry overcome the effects of new pests or diseases, the moratorium <br /> proposed in HB 1577, HD1 renders the state's coffee crop more vulnerable to <br /> unpredictable invasions of plant pathogens and other pests. <br /> <br /> For these reasons I respectfully oppose HB 1577, HD1 and Resolution 463-08. <br /> <br /> Thank you for the opportunity to testify. <br />