HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.145 2012-2014 Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK
From: Russell Yost [rsyost @hawaii.edu) COUNTY All
Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2013 10:07 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us 203 HAY 13 API & 52
Subject: Testimony regarding County Bill 79 -AntiGMO
Attachments: HawaiiTestimonyReGMO.docx
HawaiiTestimonyRe
GMO.docx (15 ...
Dear. Council,
Please consider the attached statement cf my concerns regarding this pill.
;sse
_l Yost
n l oersity of Hawaii at Manoa
Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences
1.`70 Maile Way
.oluiu, Hawai_ 'i
:sire: 808-956-7066
408-956-3894
rsyost@hawaif.edu
eb_ .. :'nttp: //www2 r .,waif.edu/-rsycst/
Comm. G.71. N.c
Ref. Co: _.__
1 Ref.
To: Hawaii County Council, Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit
Re: Upcoming discussion and action concerning (Committee 271: Bill 79), New article to Chapter 14,
General Welfare titled "Genetically Modifed (Transgenic) Organisms Prohibited"
I am a professor at the University of Hawaii and I am intensely concerned about the health and welfare of
the all of us in the State. I am, however, writing this note and request only as a deeply concerned citizen. I
have for at least 2 decades followed the appearance, debate, and sometimes the acrimonious
confrountations regarding GMOs. My take on the whole situation is that let's take a brief look at the
history of cropping and man's use of crops in the society (Read Jared Diamond's book on Guns, Germs,
and Steel). Progress in providing our food has been one of the major steps in advancing the human race
and clearly has led to the quality of our society today.
I also can personally recall, from my early days in the science of food production. It often took 10 to 15
years for new varieties of crops to be developed. The near total blight of the 1971 corn crop in the US
pointed out the need to update and improve crops as new threats evolve. The potato famine in Ireland
points out how dependent one can become on a single cultivar. Without the genetic modifications I'm sure
we would again be hunters and gatherers, probably with a life expectancy of 35 to 50 years. The type of
genetic modifications (it was called crop breeding in my era) although requiring 10 to 15 years for a single
new line, when hundreds of new lines are typically needed. The GMO process that has attracted this bill
is exactly the same goal —to provide sustainable options to the previous dangerous dependance on a
single line, cultivar, or variety. In essence to provide true Sustainability.
As others note, the best current science is that the GMO process, while making improvements has
already illustrated that it can provid the essential diversity needed to ensure food sustainability. I'm
attaching a link to a recent article in one of the best scientific journals ("Nature") recounting the debate
and updating it (http://www.nature.com/news/case-studies-a-hard-look-at-gm-crops-1.12907). This article
points out that the current science rejects the outrageous claims that all CMOs are bad. The proposed bill
seems not to be cognizant of current information and science.
With these considerations in mind, my sincere opinion as a consumer of many/ most of the products from
the Big Island is that this bill is ill-advised, scientifically incorrect, and, in fact, damages the long term
sustainability of our already fragile food supply in Hawaii. Consequently, I would sincere request that
those truly concerned with the health, welfare, and yes, the sustainability of our Island food supply would
reject this ill-advised, non-scientific attempt to set the State back at least 2 to 3 decades.
My sincere thanks for reading this and hearing my opinion as a resident of the great State of Hawaii.
Sincerely,
Russell Yost
May 12, 2013