HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.013 2012-2014 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: drgmaui @hawaii.rr.com
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 7:47 PM
To: Hawaii County Council
Subject: Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit Meeting Sept 4 at 1:30 PM
Attachments: Bill 113 Testimony for 090413 130 pm.pdf; Bill 109 Testimony for 090413 130 pm.pdf
Please submit my testimony to the above committee
before Sept 4, 2013.
Mahalo,
Don Gerbig
Telephone 808-669-6463
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Ref. Date SEP 0 4 2013
9/3/2013
TESTIMONY
Bill 113
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND MASS TRANSIT
WEDNESDAY SEPT 4, 2013, 1:30 PM
OPPOSED
I encourage the Council to decide on this issue based on scientific merit, or evidence, and not on a
survey of who submits the most paper
To ban,any GMO crops or plants from Hawaii, without any proof of harm or scientific data to back up
this decision illustrates a lack of scientific knowledge. This bill should be labeled the GMO hate-crime
bill. We hate GMO's.
Then, to penalize the GMO papaya growers an annual $100 fee for growing a variety that is resistant
to Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) disease that is currently protecting the County from additional
spread of more acres of PRSV disease, is wrong. The County should be paying the GMO growers
for the protection from PRSV provided by the GMO varieties.
In addition, the burden and expense of applying for the $100 pemit and having to fill out the
requirements; i.e., TMK, owner name, lessor name, name of party in control of GMO crop, type of
transgenic manipulation used, products used, types of pesticides and herbicides used, and amounts,
frequency, containment procedures, and contact information, is unreal.
The bill exempts current GMO papaya growers, but is very silent on the addition of new GMO papaya
growers, thus subtly indicating the elimination any additional acreage of GMO papaya. This will
certainly kill the papaya industry in Hawaii County.
Banning genetically modified crops does not serve any useful purpose. The farmer needs this
potential disease/insect protection availability, like that offered with the GMO papaya varieties. Other
crops grown in Hawaii might also utilize genetic protection in the future. To ban GMO's, that could be
a future source of plant and/or crop protection from disease and pests in the future, illustrates a lack
of knowledge on the part of our elected officials.
Over 420 million acres of GMO crops are planted and harvested each year worldwide with no harm to
humans or the environment. And Hawaii County is worried about less than 2000 acres of GMO
papaya that is somehow going to destroy the island.
I strongly urge you to not sass this needless farmer punishment bill.
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Don R. Gerbig
Retired Ag Industry Worker - 3
6 Tulip Place
Lahaina, HI 96761
TESTIMONY
Bill 109
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND MASS TRANSIT
WEDNESDAY SEPT 4, 2013, 1:30 PM
OPPOSED
I encourage the Council to decide on this issue based on scientific merit, or evidence, and not on a
survey of who submits the most paper
This bill, as the Council must know by now, completely bans all GMO products from the island of
Hawaii. This would also affect the sale of certain medications, such as insulin, and other medications
produced by genetic engineering now sold in Hawaii County. The ban as stated in this bill was
evidently not thoroughly researched.
To ban something without proof of harm, is not using common sense. If there is no data, facts, or
figures, presented that provide proof of need for such a ban, there should not be a ban.
What will happen with the passing of this bill that completely bans all GMO papaya? Over time, the
entire papaya industry on the island of Hawaii will be decimated.
The GMO papaya varieties resistant to the Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) will no longer be grown
on Hawaii. All the non-GMO varieties, susceptible to PRSV will eventually succumb to the, PSRV.
Thus wiping out the entire commercial papaya industry on the island of Hawaii. It will just be a matter
of time.
All the non-GMO varieties, including those grown by organic farmers, will succumb to the virus in
time.
Again there is no justification or scientific evidence provided for the need of such a ban. Such a ban
without proven justification is just hate-mongering, and not being truthful with the public.
The 180 or so papaya farmers will no long be able to make a living growing papaya. Their income
and contributions (taxes) to the islands economy will be gone. Since the bill states they can only
grow GMO papaya for up to 30 more months after the passing of the bill, what does it matter? The
growers will be out of business anyway. Wonder if they can get a permit refund for their 2 years of
permit payment?
I strongly urge you to not pass this dreadfully punishing papaya grower bill.
Don R. Ger.ig 2-13
Retired Ag Industry Worker
6 Tulip Place
Lahaina, HI 96761