HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0728.035 2000-2002 Page 1 of 1
J ~!t'aki
t=ry: "Sill Lean (by way of Christine Sheppard)" <deancruzin~earfhfibk.r9et>
'l`®: <;arakaki~intarpac.nat>
fit: Today, Sept+arrsb~ 24, 2002 5:55 PN6
Sea~j~ct: Kona Coffee
To the County Council;
As a frequent visitor to the Big Island, and an almost resident (two years ago I bought a 10 acre property
in Honaunau rnauka and I'm now building a house and planting coffee among the Mac Nut trees), I
was shocked and distressed to read in West Hawaii Today, of the rejection of the moratorium on the
introduction of G.M.O. coffee in this unique and one-of-a-kind environment which is the Kona Coast_
For several years I've been concerned with the ongoing increase of genetically modif ed strains of
various grains and fntits in this country, such that I feel it important to buy as many foods as I can
which are labelled "organic" (that being the only way to know the genetics of the food is not altered,
since the U.S. does not require to truth in labelling in this regard).
Pm aware of many of the arguments of the "experts" who attempt to reassure us that this altering of our
plants at the genetic level is safe and harmless. Food will become less expensive, more resistant to
disease and insect attack, etc., etc. Or so they claim. Tho I was a child in the days that great new
"SAFE" drug came out which was to miraculously eliminate or control the "morning sickness"
associated ovith pregnancy. I knew some of those children who were so tragically deformed by that
"miracle drug" Thalidomide.
How can we even consider allowing the introduction of G.M.O. into our backyards, our livelyhoods, our
families??? Can we not leave well enough alone? Is the condition of the Kona Coffee industry so
fragile or precarious that we must recklessly gamble with the future of all of us who are in or around it?
It seems to me that Kona Coffee is one of the most sought after, most often copied (but never
duplicated), and most highly treasured coffees in the world. Can we not show a bit of the intelligence of
that "great" philosopher (Yogi Berra) who said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!".
Don't bow to the pressures of the giant corporations who are exerting so much pressure to try
and convince us that what we know in our hearts and minds to be right., is actually incorrect. Why is it
so important to them for us to give up the independence and "orneriness" which has grown the Kona
Coffee Industry to this position of world admiration? What really do they have to fear from our
determining our own farming practices without their help?
Please show your wisdom by passing this moratorium and insuring that at least in the case of Kona
Coffee, we have reason to feel secure and not fearful about the future. Mahalo, Bill bean
Bill Dean
deancruzin~a earthlnk,net
(;o~na.1~T®a ~
File Iela.
Ryef. To:
Etef. Date S P 2 5 2042
9/25/02