BIL 079 Draft 01 2012-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

(4) The United Nations Biosafety Protocol, with 85 signatory nations, became international law on September 11, 2003. This protocol, not signed by the United States, regulates the transboundary movement of transgenic organisms. At the core of this Protocol is the "Precautionary Principle," which requires that when a new technology poses threats of damage to human or environmental health, the burden of proof is on the promoter of the technology to prove scientifically that the technology is safe, not on the public or governments to prove that the technology is unsafe. The Council chooses, by way of this ordinance, to implement the Precautionary Principle regarding the introduction of transgenic technologies into our farms and environment; (5) The Council believes that unless a particular agricultural product is shown to be in imminent danger of extinction without gene interference, that our natural produce and environment should be supported and conserved; (6) The Council believes that whereas the government is generally responsive to acute problems, we must be mindful as leaders in our community to also be on guard against the cumulative negative impact of the overall increase in toxins on ourselves, our children, and on future generations, that may well have a long-term impact on the health of our people and our environment; (7) The Council believes that pursuing this agricultural policy that promotes local non - transgenic produce is consistent with the Hawaii County General Plan, which provides as one of its economic goals (Economic policies 2.2(h)): "Promote and develop the island of Hawaii into a unique scientific and cultural model, where economic gains are in balance with social and physical amenities. Development should be reviewed on the basis of total impact on the residents of the County, not only in terms of immediate short run economic benefits."; (8) The Council seeks to prevent national and international market losses for products from Hawaii County's farms and fisheries, which would likely result from genetic contamination by transgenic organisms of our fresh produce, fruit crops, wild caught fish, and our value-added agricultural products such as coffee, kalo, juices and processed foods; (9) The Council seeks to protect the right to farm, so that those farmers who choose to farm without transgenic crop varieties can do so without having their crops and seed stocks genetically contaminated by pollen or seed brought by wind, insects, birds, animals, water, trucks or farm machinery from neighboring farms with transgenic varieties. If transgenic varieties of crops are introduced into the County, those farmers who choose not to use transgenic varieties will in time, very likely suffer genetic contamination of their crops and seed stocks, and suffer loss of their markets for non -transgenic products. For the many certified organic producers in the County, such contamination may result in a loss of organic certification, and loss of premium sales for organic products. Given the high risk of contamination by transgenic varieties on this island, time is of the essence in passage of this general prohibition aimed at preventing agricultural and environmental contamination from genetically modified (transgenic) organisms; 2