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United Fresh Fruit
COU~~! ~ & Vegetable Association
COUNTY ur H;
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727 North Washington S[reet Alexandria, VA 22314
(703)836-3410 FAX (703)836-745
May 6, 1997
VIA TELECOPY
Honorable James R. Arakaki
Chairman, Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re: Bill No. 62, To Fund aPost-Harvest Treatment Facility from General Obligation
Bonds and/or Other Sources for the Fiscal Year July 1, 1996, to June 30, 1997
Dear Mr. Chairman:
This letter is submitted by the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (United).
Founded in 1904, United is the only national trade organization that represents the interests of
producers and distributors of commercial quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. United
represents the business interests of growers, shippers, processors, brokers, wholesalers and
distributors of produce, working together with our customers at retail, foodservice, our suppliers
at every step in the distribution chain, and our international partners. This letter is submitted in
support of passage of Bill No. 62, To Fund aPost-Harvest Treatment Facility from General
Obligation Bonds and/or Other Sources for the Fiscal Year July 1, 1996, [o June 30, 1997.
United supparts this legislation because it encoerages the export of diversified craps from
Hawaii. United appreciates that Hawaii's unique biome contains pests which cannot be allowed
access to the U.S. mainland. Irradiation, also known as "picowave treatment," has been
determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be a safe and effective means of
controlling such pests. Picowave treatment should also maintain product quality, and may also
prove a suitable alternative to current decontamination treatments. Ultimately, increased exports
of Hawaiian fruits and vegetables to the U.S. mainland and elsewhere will benefit not only the
Hawaiian produce industry, but the U.S. mainland consumer as well.
United appreciates that the technology involved in picowave treatment of food is the subject
of substantial public interest. We firmly believe that a reasoned examination of the enhanced
levels of food safety, quality, and availability made possible by use of picowave treatment on
appropriate products will lead to increased consumer acceptance of the technology. Further, we
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Letter to Honorable James R. Arakaki
May 6, 1997
Page 2
deplore the misleading and inflammatory language employed to attack this technology, as it is
wholly unsupported by good sense and good science.
We thank the Hawaii County Council for the opportunity to comment on the pending
legislation and we look forward to the expansion of the marketplace for the Hawaiian produce
industry on the U.S. mainland.
Yours truly,
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John M. McCl~ng
Vice President for Industry Relations
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