HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.902 2012-2014 J Yoshimoto
From: Ashley Brooks <mrs.ashleybrooks @gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2013 11:49 AM
To: vpoindexter @co.hawaii.hi.us;jyoshimoto @co.hawaii.hi.us; donishi @co.hawaii.hi.us;
gilagan @co.hawaii.hi.us;zkern @co.hawaii.hi.us; bford @co.hawaii.hi.us;
dkanuha @co.hawaii.hi.us; keoff @co.hawaii.hi.us; mwille @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Support Bill 79
Aloha,
Mahalo for your work on behalf of the people of Hawaii County.
I am writing you to urge your support of Bill 79. I support complete prohibition of further GMO crops, plants, seeds,trees,fish, livestock,
and other GMOs on Hawaii Island.
I support GMO prohibition as stated in Bill 79 for economic stability and food security. With all other commercially viable Hawaiian
Islands already overwhelmed by intensive GMO production, establishing Hawaii Island as a GMO free agricultural zone will provide a
valuable niche market in a growing,well-funded demographic. Organic and natural food demands have grown every year over the last
decade and key tourist/trade countries like Japan are reticent about GMO foods. Bill 79 would secure Hawaii Island as the only non-
GMO-contaminated agricultural alternative in the state and guarantee continued traditions of production using methods and resources
already garnishing Hawaii Island 63%of the state's agricultural market("The Source, 2013" Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce).
We don't need GMO technology to be the state's leader in agriculture.
I support GMO prohibition as a means to attaining food security. Increased operations among the world's leading GMO producers on
Kauai, Oahu, and Maui has resulted in lawsuits regarding personal and public safety, illegal chemical applications, crop contamination,
and breached licensing/labeling issues. Becoming dependent on seeds that need massive pesticide,fungicide,and herbicide
applications for germination or that are genetically altered to retard re-seeding will not help our Island attain secure sources of nutritious
food over time. I support prohibiting GMO production because GMO's have proven to bring backlash and headaches in more ways
than one. GMO technology does not yield a reliable source of healthy food.
I do not support creating a task force to forge an alliance between GMO farmers and non-GMO farmers as compromises on nature's
ability to cross-contaminate can only benefit the GMO market. I urge you to propose any amendments you think are needeUnd tltn
work in good faith to pass Bill 79. °
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Mahalo for your time, r... ,
Ashley Brooks W ;-{
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