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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.364 2012-2014 COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAIr RECEIVED Testimony on the Proposed Bill #79, Draft 2 Date 7pcit3 By An Ordinance Amending Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as Amended), by Adding a New Article Relating to Prohibition of Genetically Modified Organisms I OPPOSE the proposed Bill #79, Draft 2 relating to prohibition of genetically modified organisms in Hawai'i County due to the following reasons: 1. Section 14-(1) the last three lines states that the council chooses to implement the precautionary principle regarding the introduction of transgenic technologies into our farms and environment. Section 1 4-(4) stated that precautionary principle mandate caution and conservation when information is uncertain or unknown, especially when there is a potential risk to long-term human and environmental health. Section 14-(4) of the proposed bill clearly acknowledged that information relating to the potential risk to long-term human and °nvironmental health is unknown or uncertain with transgenic technologies. Thus because of this uncertainty, the council chooses to prohibit genetically modified organisms in. Hawai'i County. However, the Section on Exemptions of this proposed bill contradicts the stated essence of this proposed bill of protecting human and environmental health on our island. If the very purpose of this bill is to ban genetically modified organism in Hawaii County, then you have to cease all farming activities on our island that had already taken advantage of transgenic technologies. It is incomprehensible to me the Council's logic of banning an activity when such activity is allowed to exist on the island. The Exemption listed on this proposed bill is an admission of the Council that transgenic technologies is very important for the health and development of the Hawai'i County's agriculture industry. 2. This proposed bill if passed, will be the death of the papaya industry in particular. The registration requirement and the large size of the buffer zones place added financial burden to papaya farmers, most of whom are using their own meager capital to farm coupled with very narrow profit margin. I consider papaya as a strategic crop that keeps the agriculture industry on the island alive. It is the only crop that can be harvested within a year from planting that produces the volume and weight required by the cargo service companies to provide lift capacity. Without papaya, we will lose the capacity to export most of our agricultural products. Not just papaya. 3. Passing this proposed bill will stifle the development of innovative research ort the island and the incredible opportunities of our UH-Hilo to establish itself as the center of agriculture research and production technology development with all • encompassing temperature regimes applicable worldwide by taking advantage of our 11 micro climates. 4. Passing this proposed bill will create further hostile division within the agriculture industry. Each commodity group has to work together to stay competitive in the market place. They need each other to access new markets and to insure regular and consistent transportation services that are affordable for our farmers. //-� Comm. o.�7 • 1014 Ref. To: 'a iA Ref. Dote it I — Y Creating this divide among each other is very counter productive to all farmers and will lead to eventual demise of our agriculture industry. 5. It is impossible for the Department of Research and Development to enforce this legislation without substantial increase in its staff but there is no provision in this proposed bill to provide such an increase in the department's personnel. 6. Passing this proposed bill would be counter productive if the enforcement is weak. This will result in "chaos" since farmers will continue their present practice until they are cited and for sure they will not destroy or remove their plants. This is based on our experience when we enforce the rouging of infested papaya plants. It is already tough to be a farmer and to pass this type of law will drive them to despair particularly that there is no provision on this proposed bill that will provide financial assistance to the farmers to transition to comply with this law. ' ectfully submi t- : c 1ey.a Akin 746 H le Ma na St I1ilo, HI 96720 •