HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.161 2012-2014 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday Oct. 15th, Special Meeting COUNTY CLERK
Bill 113 COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED �Q,,�
Time '1 P.rn. By " r
Counsel Chair J.Yoshimoto and Members of the Committee: Date Jo-,s-j3
My name is David Fuertes,retired Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor at
Kohala High School. Presently working with youth and Adults in mentoring
programs mostly related to Agriculture. Our programs practice a new technology in
Agriculture called Korean Style Natural Farming. Our Mantra we teach our
people is : Know our Origin,Values, Purpose, and Destiny.
Origin- Hawaii was food sustainable before the Foreigners came. Today we
can feed only 15 % of what we consume. Our Soils are damaged by the constant
application of Pesticides killing some of the microbes that is beneficial to our
rebuilding healthy Soil.
Values- I believe we all have a common values "caring for our Aina which
will provide for us." Some of us believe we can and able to feed ourselves, I
personally am able to feed my own family.
Purpose-the Purpose of this Bill is to prohibit open air cultivation,
propagation,development, or testing of genetically engineering crops and plants.
My personal Purpose as a Elder in my community; is to continue to provided
agricultural educational practices for our youngster in Hope that they feel part of
our food system in feeding our people, "Without Food the people will Perish."
It seem to me,with all the agriculture producers on our island (Organic, Natural,
Conventional) we are fighting an uphill battle producing enough food our people.
In my limited knowledge on GMO some of the practices in modification of
genes are dealing with pesticides and some with virus etc. I think the virus
modification has and can enhance plant growth making the host plant resistant to
the disease. I gather it's no different than the vaccines most of us have taken before
entering school.The Chemicals used to modify some plants are most of our fear.
Destiny-I believe we all want a healthy life. I believe we all need to eat need
to survive. I believe we all have Choices on what we eat. My feeling on this
emotional issue is"Let the people make their own choices. "If you are skeptical
on what you are buying,than join the ban wagon and "grow you own food."
To pass this Bill 113 is detrimental and will limit Agriculture producer on our island.
As hard as it is to get newer farmers,it will be more challenging.This Bill puts all the
farmers big or small in the same category, it punishes the small farmers while we
are tryi g to do deligence by feeding our people.
ase • sider voting"NO" on this bill.
-d F s ertes
North Kohala
Comm. No - 3 • /6/
Ref. To:
Ref. Date OCT 15 1013