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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.043 2012-2014 t'`.oF- w t939 1 NEIL ABERCROMBIE y Y' f RUSSELL S.KOKUBUN r, 7111;'" Chair erson,Board of Agriculture '' SCOTT E.ENRIGHT Deputy to the Chairperson PHONE: (808)832-0566 STATE OF HAWAII FAX: (808)832-0584 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Plant Quarantine Branch 1849 Auiki Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 TESTIMONY OF THE PLANT QUARANTINE BRANCH COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAI'I BEFORE THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL RECEIVED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND MASS TRANSIT Time 9.X4..01. By TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2013 Dare _`'/p1/13 COUNCIL CHAMBER HAWAII COUNTY BILL NO. 79 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW ARTICLE RELATING TO PROHIBITION OF GENATICALLY MODIFIED ORAGANSMS. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on County of Hawaii Bill No. 79. The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the propagation, cultivation, raising, growing, sale or distribution of transgenic organisms. We oppose the passage of this bill. Agriculture, from its beginning to present, has suffered from pest and disease infestation causing enormous, unpredictable losses in food production. Biotechnology is a critical tool used in many countries to combat crop threatening insects and diseases. Without the biotechnology development of the ringspot virus resistant papaya, all papaya production in Hawaii, both conventional and organic would have been devastated by the disease. There is a perception, promoted by opponents to biotechnology, that there is something inherently wrong with the technology which is contrary to what is widely accepted by the scientific community. Comm. No _ 71' `f3 Ref. To: � Ref. Dote AY 14 201f- The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) currently participates with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and regulates Genetically Engineered (GE) plants under their permitting system. HDOA gives concurrences on all USDA permits and adds any additional conditions as deemed necessary. HDOA also conducts inspections on regulated GE plantings and facilities statewide on a regular basis. Non - regulated GE plants have gone through the extensive testing of the USDA permitting system. They have gone through years of testing from the USDA, FDA, and EPA depending on the crop type and phenotype. When the GE plant is deemed non - regulated, the plant is considered to be like any other plant that occurs in the environment. Regulation of these types of plants would impose a discriminatory regulation on growers. To insure agricultural viability, we must be able to use all available resources and technology available to us. At the same time, it is essential that we preserve and perpetuate our island cultural values. Instead of undermining ongoing efforts to seek alternative solutions, let us continue to support co-existence among all agricultural sectors.