HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.031 2012-2014 Pa e l of 1
COUNTY CLERK PM41L,
Murashige, Laura COUNTY OF HAWAII at iF✓( 211
From: Ashley Stokes [amstokes @hawaii.edu] 2013 MAY 13 PM 12; 13
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 12:05 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: testimony
Attachments: Bill 79 Hawaii County Anti-GMO May 2013.doc; ATT00261.htm
Aloha,
Please find my testimony attached.
Thank you.
Dr. Stokes
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5/13/2013
Hawaii County Council
Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 9:00 a.m.
RE: BILL 79 Relating to the Prohibition of Genetically Modified Organisms
Committee Chair Ford and Members of the Committee:
My name is Ashley M. Stokes, and I am the Extension Veterinarian for the University of Hawaii at Manoa,
am a member of the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and work to support all of the livestock industries of
Hawaii. I am representing myself with this testimony.
I Strongly Oppose Bill 79 prohibiting Genetically Modified products from being propagated, cultivated,
raised or grown on the Island of Hawaii.
There is no rational science based reason to limit the growing or consumption of GMO products. The
Growing and consumption of GMO crops is one of the most regulated industries in the United States,
regulated by the FDA, EPA and USDA, despite what this bill mistakenly asserts.
With over one trillion servings of biotech foods consumed by the public, there has never been a documented
incident of any harm to the health of consumers, despite what you may read on the internet.
Genetic engineering has literally saved the Papaya industry in the State of Hawaii, though some may have
you believe otherwise. Many Hawaii papaya farmers are already struggling and have recently been subjected
to vandalism, possibly by environmental terrorists opposed to GMO papayas, which has cost them hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
As you may know, over 90% of Hawaii calves are shipped to the Mainland for pasture and feeding. Without
reliable, year round grass or feed, we cannot keep cattle here for finishing. If we have to grow corn or other
crops for silage, there is a good chance that some of those crops may need to be from GMO seed. In the
past, people have tried to grow feed grain in Hawaii, and it simply could not be done affordably, because
varieties available would not grow well and economically in the tropics. Grain grows best in the grain belt of
the United States. However, with the technology available today there is an excellent chance that a variety
could be developed to grow grain economically in our environment as has been done in many other areas in
the world.
Almost 80% of the beef cattle produced in the State and nearly 100% of the dairy cattle are on the island of
Hawaii. Ranchers and dairymen cannot sit by idle while an anti GMO bill like this threatens our families
and livestock businesses. We are very interested in finishing more cattle at home, particularly on grass and
play our part in contributing to the food sustainability for Hawaii. To do that we cannot always count on
grass growth all year long. It works well to have silage or some grain towards the end of the feeding period
to supplement along with the grass to put a finish on the cattle. It is also good insurance against drought to
have feeds like silage or grain stored away to supplement our cattle during times of drought. We lost nearly
all of our dairies in the State as a result of high feed and feed transportation cost. Two innovative dairies
remain and have survived on this island by growing a high percentage of their own feed. Without GMO seed
available, decreased yield and higher herbicide applications would be required to grow the corn being used
for silage being fed to the dairy cattle. Please don't take away the tools everyone else in the country has to
sustain their farms and ranches and put Hawaii producers back in an economic tailspin that results in our
extinction.
Bill 79 states that if a farmer is already growing GMO crops (like rainbow papaya), they are not prohibited
from growing the crops but must follow the physical containment protocols of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) facilities. This is impossible. How could a farmer grow a
crop under BSL-3? They could not.
Please do not give into those that are not educated in the scientific background in these issues. Science does
not support banning GMO.
In the words of Mark Lyans, one of the original Anti-GMO activists, now a GMO supporter (and subject to
hate mail and death threats similar to the many who do speak up in support of GMO's): "I Think the
conlroner.cr over tiIIO • repre.cenis one of the greatest science communications f0iltrre.c of the pact half-
c�nlur't'. alilliorts, possil>Iv billions, of people hung come to believe what b.c cxscrttiullr:a conspiracT theory.
e,rc>>ulin fccar uncl rrtisuneler-cterrulin ahota a whole class of lechnologie.c (Man urrprecedenteclh global
rule. " http//w NA,,.marklvnas.oj.;/?01 3/04/time-to-call-out-the-anti-gmo-conspiracy-theory/
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify on this very important issue.