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Murashige, Laura
From: S Kawena Lopez [slopez @hawaiicounty.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 8:19 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: FW: Committee on Agriculture, Public Safety, Mass Transit, Sustainability
cp
From: Dave Robichaux [mailto:robichaud001 @hawaii.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 4:01 PM r; 'c
To: slopez @hawaiicounty.gov -° t
Cc: jaiello @hawaiicounty.gov w --,-<
Subject: Committee on Agriculture, Public Safety, Mass Transit, Sustainability
Meeting Date: [September 5, 2013] ti 7.7:3
Bill or Redo: [Bill 119, 139] p
From: [David Robichaux] us
Phone: [(808) 368-5352]
Position: [Opposed]
Representing: [Self]
Organization: [org]
Testimony:
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
Comm. No. 3$S'' gg
Ref. To: P/P214 cc
9/3/2013 Ref. Date SEP 94 Z013
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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
9/3/2013