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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.065 1996-1998 APR-23-97 WED 23:50 HAWAII DIVERSIFIED TECH. 808 966 6977 P. 01 April 24. 1997 FAX TFiANSMITTAl. i? Fagas TO: Aaron t_ hunk, I_:11aiz- Special Meeting. Committee on Finance Cuutlly Council - 25 nupuni Strcct ' - - Hilu, Hawaii 96720 'S7 APR 2y Hf9 7 27 FROM: Laurel Dekker !await Diversikied '1'eclmoli~gies, hzc- COJ~, HCR1 Box 4115 COUNTY Gr= j-lgV~?gll I{caau, HI 96749 ph/fa,: (81.Ifi) ~llit~-Ij~l'/'/ R1: 'Testimony against i1i11 (;'l 2u-1d the development of apost-harvest irradiation facthty. Dear Mr. t_lhunq and Committee Members, <_lpposing statements have been made re~ardinF{ the economics and overall tmpar.tg f,f an irradtatlnn facility. 1 believe C:.ouneilman ('.hung is correct in statilrf{ th»t. we "hsvr not sPPn a marketin,Q study that demonstrates a demand for irradiated produce, And a rrrrnt rost-benefit analysis sl-towin~ how the facility would benefit the community." Thcrrfnrc, ~ do not 4nppnrt the expenditure of $2 million in County funds for ctth rr the fs cittty c,r mArkrting/rP4Pa rc.h lntn promoting irradiated product3 from I-IAWA11. Al»n, T do not snl-,pnrt the development of a post harvest irrrldtetton fArt}tty. From an economic point of view, the ronvtdcrArion of hnifding an irradiation facility is al ber;[ premature. and at worst forcing A dcriginn nn an unsupported Tiltau~ial analysis. This doee not even talcs into rnn9ldcration any nP.gat1VP ecuuumic, auclal and health Impacts of a potential accident. (or even A "ntmc,r" c,f one) at a facllily utt uur Island. We are ovctloukiug uur Island's and State's ability to produce tt.n own products to replace illlpurts. We often overlook this proven »ectnr fnr n„r dtversitiied a,gl-lculturc itlduatrles in a rush to support pmr.~.oara that are r.rnnomically unproved ur uffer a quick fIx to a market glut. (r.g., czrcac srarfr-uit fnr In~al fresh h-uit lualkct). Our markets need to be expanded And fulfilled hrrP m rnn vtatP first, and then we call look to export markets with an cyr nn ohjrrttvP marlcct examinatt~n based on stafiatlual analysis, rather than hearsay or markrt etudle:, that. Arr. innnfficient or Ula~cd. The promotion of .gustaitaaUlc, Qiverslfied agriculture through appropnatc ut;lizatton of epecial "nuhc" markets, value added pruduule and selected vrgctables atld fruits yvlll fulfill c»lr C:nunty's need for a wider ecoitumiu ]~aae of o1t~. nI=aA'212~.~tpo6 Presented lbf. Da~~ R 2,.~. APR-23-97 WED 23:51 HAWAII DIVERSIFIED TECH. 808 966 6977 P. 02 Ur~cluc:livaa aaatil daltiVaa)e Sc .6ce9. WB wlli real~c n {(renter _onomic bcnctit fi-ona a focus oaa cxpandila~ local nlaa-kcts S,a our co,auuunity and Mate. ()nr.r. thr.vr Tre satistled we Gala then look to secured export as a "secnnti vtcp" in nor rrnnnmic plan. 1 look forward to the day when i can buy a can of IocTl vtarfn,;t rnnrcntrAtr (not .sugar water) instead of 1' loridn oran){c juicel Althrn,gh many proponents of in-adiation say it is safe, research. hac .5hnivn that rn hc. rinevtinnahle.. 1.)r. L)onald L.ouria of New Jersey Medir-al tich.nol. has been tin otCd clot of !'nniCxt by rn,r (:nnnly F'Ubli r- InfOrmatinn (7ffire.r. 1)r. I.nn ria hTa repeatedly st.atcd tYlAt cnnsumptinn of irrarliatcd prntlucts hAq nor, hccn proven safe. The ne~v un)dcnt.ificd rAdlnlytic prtarl„cts Art' A ACT'I0))A rnnAldc.rAtitan in deciding whether whole fonds shnultt hr trcAtrrl Anrl rnnvumcd withrn,t re©trictions. Pleaoe consider these quegtionv in analyzing thr. aitnatinn~ Whr, will trn ly benefit from this facility? Ts it good for the rnmmuntty At large? Arc the advocates supporting this facility for their own benefit? Will many fArmcrs tr„ly benefh or will only the processors and large corporations? 1-Tow soon ceill the 1uJu~try face the realities of steep competition in a global market pad lose to Bra~ll and other low-cost producer3? Will our fzu-mers suffer ps the, pApsyA fArmr.ra du rlow under their processing contrpcts? What pre the potcnttAl And }cnnwn i,upaut>;7 Ass the benefits worth the rick of placing an economically unccrtam facility i„ cur cezuununity when there are better choices here no~W7 Please co,)siacl llze beat and brightest choices for our community at thin time for appropriate ecuuwuic elevelopment. Mahalo for your time and your gon.cldcration. Sincrrt•.l'y, T.aul'el A. Dekker i-lA WA11 i)ivcrgifed '1'echnolo){ies. Iuc. (cv,nnlunily mid uyrtculhzral consultant and uulhur of "Introduction to Mtznaginr,~ FY,rir 1~'liec !n llawail")