HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0385.138 2012-2014 Murashige, Laura
From: Marilyn Tagalicod [sgttag @icloud.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 11:48 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony Against Hawaii County Anti.docx
Attachments: Testimony Against Hawaii County Anti.docx; ATT00115.txt
Testimony Against ATT00115.txt (118
Hawaii Count... B)
LA/ pn
C C]
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Comm. No. 3 85: f 38
Ref.To: P/P,SM re-
Ref. Date StP 114 7113
1
Testimony Against Hawaii County Anti-Farming Bills 109 & 113
I oppose Bills 109 and 113 because any anti-GMO legislation in Hawaii County will
hurt our farmers and ranchers who choose to use approved genetically 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.
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 Hawai'i 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: Marilyn Tagalicod
Occupation: Automation Assistant
City where I live: Hilo, Hawaii
Additional Comments:
I don't understand why there is a problem with GMO's. I think that there should
be some or more research done by the people that do have a problem with it.
How long now we have been eating GMO foods? The scientists do a lot of
research before they allow the public to eat the foods. How long did it take Japan
to finally accept papayas from Hawaii. 10 years due to the strict guidelines that
they had for PBARC, 10 years now!