HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0883.036 2006-2008
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Murashige, Laura
From: Alan Takemoto [atakemoto@hfbf.org]
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 4:01 PM On c_
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us Z C s !
Subject: Testimony for Res. 463-08 /Co/lm. X93 4 77
Attachments: BI Reso Ban on Coffee Testimony.doc
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To: County of Hawaii - County Clerks Office Co C..]
Please submit the attached testimony for Res. 463-08 which is scheduled before the County Council tomorrow,
Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 8:30 am. Please make the appropriate copies for distribution.
Thank you for your immediate attention.
Alan Takemoto
Executive Director
Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation
2343 Rose Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
Phone: 808.848.2074
Fax: 808.848.1921
www.hfbf.org
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Comm. No. 0 g 3.3G
Ref. To• it
Ref. Dote JAN 24 70f1R
1/24/2008
Hawaii Farm Bureau
F E O E R A i 1 O N
2343 Rose Street, Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone: (808) 848-2074; Neighbor Islands: 1-800-482-1272
Fax: (808) 848-1921; e-mail: info@hfbf.org
January 24, 2008
Chair Pete Hoffmann
County of Hawaii
Hawaii County Council
Res. 463-08, A Resolution Supporting HB 1577 hdl to Temporarily Prohibit the Growing
of Genetically Modified Coffee for a Period of 5 Years, at the same time, Permit
Research in an Environmentally Secure Facility
Chair Hoffman and county council members:
My name is Alan Takemoto, Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation,
which is the largest non-profit general agricultural organization, representing 1,600 farm
family members statewide.
The HFBF does not support moratoriums or restrictions on responsible, federally and
state approved genetic engineering research. It is our policy as well as the American
Farm Bureau's policy to support all growing practices and research and development for
organic, conventional and biotechnology methodologies.
We understand that Kona coffee is unique and the importance of their marketing
advantageous should be enhanced and maintained. However, we do not believe that we
should be legislating such a ban on safe research and technology that may set precedence
that will negatively impact the overall agricultural industry in Hawaii. We believe that
all methods and tools should be made available to the farmer or rancher so that they
remain competitive in the global marketplace.
Our organization believes that miscommunication and misunderstanding of the
technology has spurred concerns in the agricultural community. As such, we have
coordinated a series of farmer to farmer dialogue on coexistence between organic,
conventional, and biotechnology. We believe this process of communication and the
recognition of many commonalities between farmers have brought a bought some
positive results.
We ask that Res.463-08 be held in committee. Thank you for the opportunity to present
testimony.