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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />RESOLUTION NO. 220 ®~ <br />(DRAFT 2) <br />A RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE <br />LABELING OF ALL FOOD PRODUCTS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE <br />BEEN GENETICALLY ENGINEERED OR CONTAIN INGREDIENTS THAT HAVE <br />BEEN GENETICALLY ENGINEERED. <br />WHEREAS, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service, 92 percent of <br />soybean acreage and 63 percent of corn acreage were genetically engineered in 2008; and <br />WHEREAS, according to the Center for Food Safety, an estimated 70-75 percent of <br />processed foods on supermarket shelves contain genetically engineered ingredients; and <br />WHEREAS, scientific studies over the past decade have revealed that genetically <br />engineered foods can be harmful to humans, domesticated animals, wildlife, and the <br />environment; and <br />WHEREAS, despite the risks, the United States government continues to allow <br />American citizens to unknowingly consume genetically engineered foods; and <br />WHEREAS, Consumer International was founded in 1960, and with over 220 member <br />organizations in 115 countries, it is the world federation of consumer groups that serves as the <br />only independent and authoritative global voice for consumers; and <br />WHEREAS, according to Consumer International, there are more than 40 countries that <br />already have mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods, accounting for roughly one- <br />third of the world's population, which includes Australia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Hong <br />Kong, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, and the European <br />Union (consists of 27 member states); and <br />WHEREAS, Senate Bill 25, which was unanimously approved in 2005 by Alaska's <br />House and Senate and signed into law by Governor Frank Murkowski as Chapter 26 SLA O5, <br />requires all genetically engineered fish and shell fish to be conspicuously labeled, whether <br />packaged orunpackaged;and <br />WHEREAS, Chapter 26 SLA OS is the first labeling law in the United States for <br />genetically engineered foods; and <br />WHEREAS, by adopting this resolution, the Hawaii County Council expressly does <br />not waive its home-rule authority in the future to enact, for Hawaii County, GMO (Genetically <br />Modified Organism) labeling requirements similar to those contained in Chapter 26 SLA O5; <br />and <br />