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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.050 2012-2014 Page 1 of 1 Murashige, Laura From: Merle Hayward [blackbird4aloha©yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 12:08 AM To: counciltestimony©co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Testimony on Bill 113 GMO Prohibition Attachments: Testimony Supporting Bill 113.docx Attached is my testimony supporting Bill 113 GMO Prohibition. Merle Hayward Hilo, Hawaii 96720 c=• C) w ?c--) cm ,o -p t � --4 w -,-< ("--) N Comm. No. 3 3• Co R;f. To: M�G Rd, Date P 4 9/3/2013 Good morning councilmembers. My name is Merle Hayward and I am speaking in support of Bill 113. Over the last several months your constituents have overwhelming supported making Hawaii Island a safe haven from contaminating GMOs. These are the voices of ordinary people who feel helpless against industrialized agriculture that is degrading the food they need to thrive. There is now a choice, either to bring invested parties together with Bill 113, or to take a hard line divesting nearly every other related industry with Bill 109. If we take the hard line and support Bill 109, the GMO consortium that has been exempted in previous proposed bills will fall upon us like rain, derail the enactment of any GMO bill, and set the stage for those waiting with bills at the Legislature to take home rule away from us. Bill 113 should be strengthened and simplified: 1) by not exempting GMO corn and adding a 30-month sunset date. 2) GMO food crops or plants used for biofuels must also be prohibited by specifying the prohibition of cultivating "food and feed crops and plants." 3) dropping the registration requirement because the current total papaya contamination of the environment will not allow for organic purity. The organic code allows for first generation contamination of seeds if the tree is non-GMO. No registration simplifies enforcement. An Ad Hoc Committee would do better to support farmer transition, support the increase in availability and variety of non-GMO animal feed, and support testing papaya trees to meet the demand for premium-priced, non- GMO papaya. Thank you.