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Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK
COED! 1I ?
From: Martha Miller [rushmarmil @gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 6:46 AM 2013 SEP -3 (m 12: 00
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: I oppose Bill 109 and 113
Hawaii County Council
Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit
Wednesday September 4, 2013 1:30 p.m.
Testimony Against Bills 109 and 113
Committee Chair Ford and Members of the Committee:
I oppose Bills 109 and 113 because any anti-GMO legislation in Hawaii County will
discriminate against our farmers and ranchers who choose to use approved genetic
engineered technology to grow safe and wholesome food and other agriculture
products. These Bills also damage Hawaii's reputation for producing some of the best crops
on the planet, harms our markets, and eventually destroy our agriculture industry.
I am pro-farming and the right to farm in the United States of America, still a free
country, under laws of and regulated by the USA and the State of Hawaii.
Hawaii's farmers and ranchers may need virus resistant GMO crops to protect Hawaii from the
next papaya virus strain, banana bunchy top virus, tomato spotted wilt and other vegetable
viruses, or the bacterial citrus greening disease that is destroying the Florida citrus industry
and may soon come to Hawaii. Furthermore, this bill will stop development of GMO
ornamental and floral crops with enhanced horticultural or disease resistant characteristics.
These Bills would prohibit livestock and aquaculture producers from efficiently growing cost
effective feed locally, requiring them to import at a higher price the exact same feeds. How will
Hawaii County farmers and ranchers compete when everyone but us has access to GE
technology?
The consensus of independent scientific organizations worldwide is unanimous and can be
summed up by this statement from the American Association for the Advancement of Science,
"The science is quite clear: crop improvement by the modern molecular techniques of
biotechnology is safe."
Please vote against Bill 109 and Bill 113
Name: Martha Miller
Occupation: RN retired
City where I live: Pepeekeo
Additional Comments: I agree with above comments
Comm. No. 3 86 5. 79
Ref. To: P/PSAf7"C
Ref. Date SEP R 4 2013
9/3/2013