HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.040 2012-2014 Hawaii Floriculture & Nursery Association
Testimony for the 9th Session
Hawai'i County Council
25 Aupuni Street, COUNTY CLERK
Room 1401, COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
Hilo, HI 96720 RECEIVED
71-71 9:00 Al_ BY
Tuesday,May 14,2013 16,,. '5/1413
9:00am
Regarding Bill 79–An Ordinance Amending Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code, by Adding a
New Article Relating to Prohibition of Genetically Modified Organisms.
We Strongly Oppose Bill 79
My name is Eric S. Tanouye and I am the current President for the Hawaii Floriculture and
Nursery Association. HFNA is a statewide umbrella organization with approximately 300 members.
Our membership is made up with breeders, hybridizers,propagators, growers, shippers,wholesalers,
retailers, educators, and the allied industry,which supports our efforts in agriculture. In 2011 our
industry's sales were approximately 70 million in sales and of these sales approximately 60% are from
the Big Island, sales that help inject money into our local economy.
The Floriculture industry is a vanity industry where the newest and unique catches the attention
of the market. This means for our industry to remain competitive we need to have new and cutting edge
flowers and foliage in new colors and styles. An important tool for this is to be able to get new
varieties, longer lasting varieties, and healthier varieties through the use of science,technology and
innovation, such as GMO.
Of course,another concern for a Nursery Operator is always cost. We need to be able to keep
down operating costs to be able to compete on a global market that has countries with lower wages and
development costs. It then would become a great burden on a farm to continue growing GMO crops if
physical containment protocols of the US Department of Agriculture USDA Biosafety Level-3
facilities. It would be financially prohibitive to continue growing any GMO plants that are currently in
production.
We believe it is important to look to the future of our agriculture industry and not handicap
ourselves with laws that seek to close the door on technology. It is important that we keep finding
solutions to pest and diseases that currently attack our plants and crops. With disease and pest resistant
plants we would be able to use less herbicides and pesticides,which would lower costs for farmers and
also have a greater yield of product, allowing our sector in agriculture to improve efficiencies.
That is why we would like to request the council to Oppose Bill 79. If you have any questions
at this time, I would be happy to discuss them and can be reached by phone at 808-959-3535 ext 22, cell
960-1433 and email eric @greenpointnurserv.com.
Suppo mg •._` ulture and Hawaii,
Comm. No 11 • 0
Erb S. Tanouye ; ' Ref. To:
President Ref. Date u
Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association
Fl :rialt:€,re and Nlun,L-r\ _Association tb P 0.Bo , =«4OO e Hilo, -._�. Q670 • ph: 808-95c-:3535