HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.340 2012-2014 COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY flf 14AWAII
Testimony No. 70 (Hilo) by Arnold H. Hari JUL -2 P11 is 5I
Oppose to Bill No. 79
Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit, Chair Brenda Ford, Vice
Chair, Margaret Willie, and members, Karen Eoff, Gerror Ilagan, Dru Mamo
Kanuha, Zendo Kern, Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Valarie T. Poindexter and J.
Yoshimoto, my name is Dr. Arnold Hara, Professor of Entomology, University
of Hawaii at Manoa, located at the Komohana Research and Extension Center,
born and raised in Hilo and attended Hilo High School, University of Hawaii at
Hilo and Manoa and the University of California Davis with a Bachelor of
Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology (the study
of insects). This testimony is my personal view. This GMO issue is of very
critical concern to me as I want to assure a sustainable, healthy, prosperous,
Big Island with the County, State, Federal and University collaborating to
make the best decisions to assure the highest quality environment and health
with managed economic growth for the next generation.
By far, the Hawaiian Islands represent the worst-case example of the
invasive species problem in the United States and probably the world. No
other area in the United States annually receives as many new invasive pest,
weed and disease species. For the past 65 years, Hawaii annually receives >20
new invasive snails, slugs, insects, spiders, mites, amphibians, reptiles, weed,
fungal, bacterial and viral disease species. GMO is one of the safest and most
effective tool needed to manage these serious invasive pests, weeds and
diseases. Based on published scientific data in referred journals, GMOs are
safe to humans, non-target organisms and the environment. GMO is a
harmless tool providing crops with specific resistance to invasive pests and
diseases enabling farmers in Hawaii County to continue growing nutritious
crops. GMO does not increase the use of pesticides, but actually decreases the
use of pesticides against invasive pests and diseases because the crop is very
specifically resistant to the new invasive pest or disease. There is no credible
scientific data that concludes GMO is toxic to babies and children by
contaminating the air, water and soil.
Diversified agriculture is crucial to the economy and social health of
Hawaii County. Diversified agriculture in Hawaii County, which is currently
struggling because of foreign competition and invasive pests and diseases is
headed to failure without GMO.
Tha ou,
rnold H. Hara, Ph.D. �.� .� O
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