HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.127 2012-2014 Page 1 of 2
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Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK 60144. 211
COUNTY OF HAWAII
From: Dea Rose [kumukahi77 @gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2013 7:46 AM 2013 MAY -9 AM 9: 08
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: GMO Bill 79
GMO BILL 79
Protect HAWAII!
Personal testimony is needed on these issues to support assertions made in the bill.
Link to testifying or submitting testimony:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lb-council-meeting
Below are points in the bill that need a boost from testimony:
SECTION 1, (1) "The US government failure to establish adequate protocols and safeguards for
the research, testing and monitoring of GMO..."
The biotech PR machine has ingrained in GMO supporters that GMO approval is rigorous
and
countless test have shown the safety of GMOs in the field, in our food, that co-existence is
possible, and that there has never been documentation of anyone suffering injury by
eating
GMOs. Testimony is needed to show government's failure to protect, inorder to
take away
that argument from some of our Council members .
SECTION 1, (3) This is about preserving home rule and preventing pre-emption. The biotech
corporations floated a bill this past legislature "Right To Farm" that would disallow
nuisance claims against "acceptable agricultural practices" (killing the 'aina with
toxic
sprays for example) and other reasons to premptcounty ordinances. Heartfelt
testimony needed here.
SECTION 1, (6) "we must be mindful in our community of cumulative negative impact of the
overall increase in toxin build up...and for future generations..." Testimony
could be about GMO Bt insecticide DNA found in humans or excessive
programmed
spraying of RoundUp on food crops and its effects, or GMO research seed
growing
environment that requires fungicides, herbicides and pesticides to bring
GMO seeds
to market for biotech corporations. Comm c -7 t . Z.
Ref. To: S
Ref. Date MAY 1 4 MI-
5/9/2013
Page 2 of 2
SECTION 1, (7) promoting non transgenics consistent with county's general plan of promoting a
model
Where economic gains are in balance with social and physical amenities. Testimony
about short term economic gain at the cost of people, culture and 'aina and the
opportunities in tourism, products, image,jobs, that a new model of sustainability
provides.
SECTION 1, (9) protecting the right not to be GMO contaminated, and preserving markets.
Testimony
on GMO contamination events, effects on beekeepers, organic growers (papaya) etc. to
illustrate the invasiveness of GMOs.
SECTION 1, (10) protect from expensive eradication and environmental clean-up from uncontrollable
Contamination. Testimony showing that the Hawaii Dept of Agriculture has no plan
to deal with contamination; that tax payers will have to foot the bill(s) if this issue
is not attended to.
SECTION 1, (11) US Dept of Agriculture has suggested that growers who may suffer GMO
contamination
carry crop protection insurance, shifting the burden from the contaminator to the
victim. Testimony about how difficult it is to make a profit from typical local farming
without the added financial burden of crop losses from contamination. Organic papaya
growers were advised to incur the financial burden of baggingtheir papaya flowers.
SECTION 1, (13) & (14) protect the public from exposure to GMOs. Testimony citing research on
superweeds and insect resistance, repeating the same cycle of agricultural warfare,
and (14)preserving our small island's native ecosystems, land and sea.
Mahalo,
DEPHLIA RACKLEY
PAHOA, HAWAII
5/9/2013