HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0883.012 2006-2008
PI ~Mc
Murashige, Laura
From: Susan Miyasaka [miyasaka@hawaii.edu]
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 5:03 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony against Resolution 463-08
Attachments: GE_coffee _morat_HI_Cty_010808-scmhcb.doc, GE_coffee_morat_HI_Cty_010808-scmhcb-
pdf.pdf
GE_coffee _morat_ GE_coffee _morat_
HI_Cty_010808-... HI_Cty_010808-...
Dear County Clerk,
I would like to submit written testimony against Resolution 463-08. I am attaching a Word
file and a pdf file.
Please confirm that you have received this email message and that you are able to open one
of the files attached.
:hank you.
Susan
Susan C. Miyasaka
Interim Hawaii County Administrator
University of Hawaii
mailing address: 875 Komohana St., Hilo, HI 96720 physical address: 920 Stainback Highway,
Hilo, HI 96720
ph: 808-981-8264, 981-8271
FAX: 808-981-4518
Gomm. No. Vis-3-IL
Ref. Toi F-M
Ref. Dais JAN 8 21108
1
Testimony Presented before the
Committee on Environmental Management
of the
Hawai'i County Council
January 8, 2008
by
Susan C. Miyasaka, Interim Hawaii County Administrator
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Comm. 883 (Res. 463-08): A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING H.B. 1577 H.D.1 TO
TEMPORARILY PROHIBIT THE GROWING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED COFFEE
FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, PERMIT RESEARCH IN
AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SECURE FACILITY
Chair Jacobson, Vice Chair Ford, and Members of the Committee:
My name is Susan C. Miyasaka, and I serve as Interim Hawaii County Administrator of
the UH Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). This
testimony is presented from the perspective of the dean of CTAHR and does not
represent the position of the University of Hawai'i.
I am pleased to provide testimony against Resolution 463-08 that supports House Bill
1577 H.D.1, a bill currently before the Hawaii State Legislature. H.B.1577, HD1
temporarily prohibits the growing of genetically modified coffee and allows research on
genetically modified coffee in environmentally secure facilities.
I respectfully oppose Resolution 463-08 and HB 1577, HD1.
Invasive species are a constant challenge to Hawai'i's agriculture and environment. The
ongoing arrival of new invasive species is unpredictable and can have far-reaching
consequences, as is illustrated by the current situation in which indigenous wili wili trees
(Erythrina sandwiciensis) are being decimated by an invasive gall-wasp species. Crop
plants like coffee are likewise vulnerable to damage by invasive species.
The five-year moratorium on testing, propagating, cultivating, raising, or growing
genetically modified coffee proposed in HB 1577, HD1 would limit the ability of Hawai'i's
coffee industry to respond to and prevent scientists at the University of Hawaii and other
research agencies to provide assistance when new pests or diseases arrive It would
prevent the field tests that are a required part of the process by which a new transgenic
cultivar is assessed. Such field testing is regulated by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and requires that precautions be taken before, during, and after the test to
prevent the escape of the regulated transgenic plants or pollen from the test site. It
should be noted that all commercial coffee in Hawaii is self-pollinated Arabica; this fact
greatly reduces the possibility of flowers beginning fertilized by stray pollen even if
carried by bees.
This proposed moratorium would prevent the future development or use in Hawai'i of
transgenic coffee cultivars with pest or disease resistance. Development or use of pest-
or disease-resistant GM coffee would be banned even if an industry-threatening disease
or pest outbreak were to result in strong support for GM coffee from the Big Island's
coffee growers. By removing the option of using genetic modification to help Hawaii's
coffee industry overcome the effects of new pests or diseases, the moratorium
proposed in HB 1577, HD1 renders the state's coffee crop more vulnerable to
unpredictable invasions of plant pathogens and other pests.
For these reasons I respectfully oppose HB 1577, HD1 and Resolution 463-08.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.