HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0728.047 2000-2002 From: Nita Isherwood <nitabnb@kona.net>
To: jarakaki@interpac.net
Subject: eke: Counci! Testimony for Wed. 9125
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 9:47 AM
Appreciate your help in seeing that this is distributed to the Council. Nita ___a_ ®riginal
Message ~rs~lra°°s: Nita {sherwood <mailto:nitabnb@kona.net> fi®: Nita Isherwood
<mailto:nitabnb@kona.net> Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 10:49 AM Sa~~~es±t: Re:
Council T'estit~ony
To: the Hawaii County Council (Testimony for Wed. meeting, please distribute) From: Nita Isherwood,
representing HIBBA and our fledgling agtourism assn. Owner of Affordable HI at Pomaika'i Farm Bi~6
and coffee, macnut, fruit farmer. Those of us participating in agricultural tourism have been gratified by its
significant growth, and especially by the active support of our Hawaii County Council, your planning
department, and many of the other county ~ state government departments. Since I have an 80~-%
occupancy rate in my B&B, I see many visitors from the mainland and around the world. All of these
guests are concerned that introduction of genetically modified coffee plants could ruin their favorite
beverage. For them the issue sends a message that the Big Island, instead of working toward
environmental sustainability, may self-destruct. And they are not alone. When I took the Kona Coffee
Council petition to the farm fair a week ago, 9 out of 10 who passed our booth wanted to sign the petition
as well, and these were mostly Kona locals. So when the Hawaii County Counci! is promoting alternative
tourism without supporting the concepts that are important to these visitors they send an ambiguous
message. Alternatively, by passing the resolution banning genetically modified coffee plants in Kona, you
affirm your support for our specialty coffee. You also give us the ability to get action from our state dept of
agriculture and the US dept of agriculture to protect our very famous coffee industry. Introducing
genetically modified coffee plants in Kona portends disaster for our industry, as you have heard. We must
be proactive and get the permitting necessary to prevent contamination of our plants now, before cross
polination occurs. Mahalo nui loa for giving us this support.
Affordable Hawaii at Pomaika~i Farm B&B
View: http://www.luckyfarm.com <http://www.luckyfarm.com> or
http://www.innplace.com/inns/A001555.html <http://www.innplace.com/inns/A001555.html>
Email: nitabnb@kona.net <mailto:nitabnb@kona.net>
Call: (US/Canada) 1-800-3AI.OHAS (325-8427)
or (local,other countries)1-808-328-2112
Fax: 1-808-328-2255
Write: 83-5465 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook HI 96704
ONLY THOSE WHO ATTEMPT THE ABSUF2D CAN ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE
~
t~ o..
Page 1 ;ifs ,