HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.454 1996-1998BENJAMIN J.CAYETANO
Governor
Chairman James Arakaki
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
State of Hawaii
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
1428 So. King Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-2512
April 23, 1997
JAMES J. NAKATANI
Chairperson, Board of Agriculture
LETITIA N. UYEHARA
Deputy to the Chairperson
Mailing Address:
R O. Box 22159
Honolulu, Hawaii 96823-2159
FAX: (808) 973-9613
RECEIVED
Time
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County Council I' - 7"
Council Chairman James Arakaki and Members of the Council:
On behalf of Chairperson James Nakatani, I am here to present
testimony in support of building an irradiation facility on the
Big Island. The testimony of Dr. Lyle Wong, our Plant Division
Administrator will detail our research and efforts in this area
but I am here to support the initiative of Mayor Yamashiro to
have a treatment facility here.
The Department has been aggressively moving on this project as
a pivotal tool to help agriculture in Hawaii move forward. For
years we have talked about a transition taking place in
agriculture. It is no longer something that we can just talk
about. Many individuals have taken up the challenge and are
helping to make diversified agriculture a reality. We now have
an obligation to make sure that our growers have a market for
their high quality, high value products, otherwise our goals
for the expansion of agriculture will remain a myth.
Our concern at the State level, as I am sure it is here at the
county level, is one of fostering economic development to aid
our stagnant economy. For most of our neighbor islands, the
key to spur that economic diversity is agriculture.
We see the building of a treatment facility not only as a way
to foster the development of our fruit and vegetable industries
but as a way to help our burgeoning coffee industry, our potted
plant and foliage industries as well.
Work is currently being done to determine what treatment levels
would be appropriate for these other commodities. Japan, a
country that some contend is strongly opposed to the use of
irradiation, utilizes the technology to treat potatoes coming
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Chairman James Arakaki
April 23, 1997
Page 2
out of the Hokkaido area and they are currently conducting
research into its use with plants and flowers. What is
important to remember is that this facility offers a multitude
of applications and benefits for a variety of crops.
As we continue to make more shipments under U.S.D.A. guidance,
we will be shipping commodities such as bananas, taro, and
Asian vegetables such as eggplant and bittermelon to test for
appropriate dosages, effectiveness of the treatment on
different commodities, just as we have for the exotic fruits.
Fruit flies have been the target pests but research is underway
to see if other pests such as the mango weevil, lychee moth and
a whole slew of other pests of quarantine importance that
prohibit the export of crops can also be treated effectively by -'
this method, which will further open the markets for our
crops.
Building a post harvest treatment facility offers a viable,
safe option for our producers to have unprecedented opportunity
to export our products to markets around the country.
We ask that you support the measure before you to help the
expansion of an economic activity that holds the greatest
growth potential for Hawaii's economy, agribusiness.
Sincerely,
Letitia N. Uyehara
Deputy to the Chairperson