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Ret. Date APR 2 1 1997
Apr-2.-97 10:37A Kahili Farm SOS 828 1803 P_02
KAHILI FARM
P. o. Box 30
KILAUEA, HAWAII 96754
PHONE 808 828 1292
FAX 8088281803
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCII.
25 AUPAUNI STREET
HILO, HAWAII 96720 APRIL 21, 1997
DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS,
MY NAME IS MIKE STRONG AND I AM A GROWER OF TROPICAL FRUIT ON
THE ISLAND OF KAUAI. WE GROW SUNRISE PAPAYA, LOW ACID
PINEAPPLE, RAMBUTAN, LYCHEE, LONGAN AND MANGOSTEEN ON 150
ACRES. WE HAVE BEEN FARMING ON KAUAI FOR 24 YEARS AND GROWING
EXOTIC FRUITS FOR 15 YEARS. DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE
FORMED A MARKETING COOP, WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STATE AND
COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TO PROMOTE TROPICAL FRUIT AND
PARTICII'ATED WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
LAB IN HII.O TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR
PRODUCT TO BE SHIPPED TO THE MAINLAND AND JAPAN.
THE PROMOTIONAL WORK DONE WITH THE STATE AND COUNTY
GOVERNMENTS SHOW A TREMENDOUS MARKET FOR OUR EXOTIC FRUITS.
MOST OF OUR FRUITS ARE PRODUCED OUT OF SEASON MAKING HAWAII
THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD THAT PRODUCES THESE FRUITS DURING
THOSE PERIODS. THIS GIVES US A UNIQUE MARKETING ADVANTAGE, WE
HAVE LITTLE OR NO COMPETITION FOR MUCH OF OUR FRUIT
PRODUCTION. AS OUR STATE IS AT A CROSSROADS IN AGRICULTURE WE
NEED ALL THE VARIETY WE CAN GET TO BE TRULY DIVERSIFIED.
WE HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS FOR FRUIT FLY FOR THE
VARIOUS CROPS FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS SO FAR THERE IS ONE
TREATMENT FOR STAR FRUIT AND THAT TREATMENT HAS NOT WORKED
WELL ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE. THE OTHER FRUITS HAVE NO
TREATMENTS AND WE ARE UNABLE TO SEND THEM TO THE MAINLAND
U.S. OR JAPAN. THIS MEANS OUR INDUSTRY WILL NEVER REACH ITS
POTENTIAL BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHIP FRUIT NOW TO
ENCOURAGE MORE PLANTINGS BY OTHER FARMERS. WITHOUT MORE
PLANTINGS THE INDUSTRY WII,L NOT BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
MARKET ITS PRODUCT ON THE MAINLAND AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
FOR HAWAII'S FUTURE WILL BE LOST.
Apr-2i-97 10:38A Kahili Farm 808 82S 1803 P.03
IRRADIATION IS THE ONLY TREATMENT THAT CAN BE USED ON ALL THE
FRUITS WITHOUT DAMAGE. IRRADIATION IS APPROVED AS SAFE BY ALL
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE FDA AND THE
USDA. THE OPPONENTS TO 1RRADIATION HAVE NO SOLUTION FOR
DEVELOPING NEW CROPS AND CREATING TREATMENTS FOR THOSE
CROPS. WE HAVE SPENT MANY YEARS TRYING TO FIND OTHER METHODS
TO TREAT FRUIT FOR SHIPMENT, IT HAS BEEN VERY DISCOURAGING.
FOOD AND WATER, THE NATIONAL GROUP OPPOSED TO IRRADIATING
FRUIT, HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF FALSIFYING INFORMATION, IGNORING THE
INTENT OF RESEARCH - TO THE POINT WHERE RESEARCHERS IN FAVOR OF
IRRADIATION HAVE HAD THEIR WORK TWISTED TO SOUND AS IF THEY
ARE OPPOSED TO IRRADIATION. I URGE YOU TO VIEW THE 20/20
TELEVISION REPORT ON FOOD AND WATER SO YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS GROUP.
THE WHOLE STATE NEEDS THE IRRADIATION FACII,ITY, PLANTING WILL
TAKE PLACE STATE WIDE IF GROWERS FEEL THEY CAN SHIP THEIIt
PRODUCT OUT OF THE STATE. WE HOPE YOU WII.L TAKE THE RIGHT
STAND FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII AND THE STATE OF
HAWAII AND VOTE FOR BUII,DING AN IRRADIATOR ON YOUR ISLAND.
SINCERELY,
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