HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0385.122 2012-2014 Murashige, Laura
From: Blake Vance [BVance @harc-hspa.com]
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 11:28 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Please vote against Bill 109 and Bill 113
Attachments: Attachment information..txt; 13Sept4TestimonyBV.doc
Attachment 13Sept4TestimonyB
nformation..txt(6... V.doc(15 KB)...
Testimony attached.
Thank you,
Blake Vance
Blake Vance, Ph. D.
Assistant Director
Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC) PO Box 100 Kunia, HI 96759-0100
808-621-1201 (Voice) , 808-621-1399 (FAX)
808-383-8419 (Cell)
http: //www.harc-hspa. com
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Ref. Date SEP 04 2 0%
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 decimate 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 modem molecular techniques of
biotechnology is safe."
Please vote against Bill 109 and Bill 113.
Name: Blake Vance, Ph.D.
Occupation: Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC)
City where I live: Aiea
Additional Comments: None