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HAMAKUA COUNTY FARM BUREAU <br /> 1483 HAWAII BELT HIGHWAY rn--n "-"r'; <br /> HILO, HAWAII 96720 <br /> (808) 961-6353 ,9? ~1flY ~ 9 'i8 <br /> COUf:'~~; <br /> GOUNIY Ur HAWAII <br /> <br /> Mr. James Arakaki, Chairman April 7, 1997 <br /> & Members <br /> <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> <br /> I am here today representing the Hamakua County Farm Bureau to <br /> support Mayor Stephen Yamashiro's proposed irradiation facility for <br /> <br /> the Big Island's agricultural industry. <br /> As a budding organization of 35 farm and ranch families in Hamakua, <br /> we are well aware of the pitfalls in Hawaii's agricultural industry. <br /> Most of us have experienced the frustrations of low prices for our <br /> products, diseases, insects and drought. But we are a persistent <br /> bunch who hang in there believing that things will get better even in <br /> economically depressed Hamakua. The irradiation facility may be <br /> the boost we need to jump-start our industry and enable us to export <br /> more of our products and compete more efficiently with imports for <br /> a larger share of the local market. <br /> The proposed post-harvest irradiation facility is anon-issue as far as <br /> we're concerned. It should be the consumers who are willing to buy <br /> and try irradiated food products to decide the fate of such a facility, <br /> not people or group with personal agendas. The bottom line is -you <br /> don't tell me what not to eat and I won't expect you to buy my <br /> treated fruits and vegetables. We each have a choice and that is as it <br /> should be. <br /> Mahalo & Aloha, <br /> Robert Shioji, Presid~t <br /> Hamakua County Farm Bureau <br /> i~ti. DFn, IZ. <br /> ''S~- <br /> 'i~i. 1~ _L c <br /> Presemea 0 w,~' <br /> ~e4.. fiii <br /> , , hAY ~ 7 1y <br /> <br />