HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.077 2012-2014 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura CCaITY CLERK K!r
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From: 4 Ag Hawaii [HawaiisAgriculturalPartnerships @msn.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2013 12:54 PM 2013 OCT 1 14 PH 3: 42
To: CouncilTestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Bill 113 Testimony -- Opposition
Attachments: Bill 113 Testimony 10.13.16.pdf
Aloha
Attached please find 4 Ag Hawaii, Inc.'s testimony on Bill 113 being heard on 10.16
Thanks for your help
Comm. No. 3• 3. 77
Ref. To: P/ Cline/*/
Ref. Dote 0C 115 2013
10/14/2013
F
4 Ag Hawaii Strongly Opposes Bill 113
Hawaii must have the ability to feed ourselves as nothing is more important than being
able to afford food. Hawaii's farmers & ranchers must have the ability to choose their
own method of farming & ranching in a manner consistent with economic viability and
environmental sustainability as provided for in Article XI of the State Constitution as well
as HRS 165 and Federal & State Laws & Regulations including generally accepted
agricultural practices [GAP].
Hawaii Agriculture is at a critical point of its development. Its future requires all of us to
work together and co-exist without inflammatory rhetoric to preserve our heritage and
provide for a sustainable agriculture industry — all farmers should be accorded their
as they choose with whatever approved technologies are available to
them. It's just a basic lesson we learned long ago — get along with your neighbors --
communicate and co-exist even if your views differ. We can find a Common Ground
Hawaii continues to import nearly 90% of our food and that has risen from 85% only a
few years ago despite all of the efforts of various groups to highlight the "Buy Local"
message. We must reverse this trend and improve our food security and self-sufficiency
and once again become an integral component of Hawaii's future diversified economy
all factions must understand their responsibility to Hawaii Agriculture as a whole.
Our main focus should be on making Hawaii food secure. It takes real farmers, both
organic and conventional, to get this done. Ancient Hawaiians always had high respect
for farmers. How is it even possible that some farmers are now accused of being money
grabbers and puppets manipulated by big money? The truth is our family farmers &
ranchers are having a hard time. If the people do not appreciate them, why should they
encourage the future generations to farm?
What would Life be without Diversified Agriculture? _r our Farmers & Ranchers to
do the right thing as they have been doing for generations on Hawaii Island.
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4 Ag Hawaii is a non-profit 501[c] [3] corporation established as a public-private
partnership focused on goals that include: promoting the agricultural economic welfare
of Hawaii and its counties; conducting agricultural economic; educational & media
programs, and fostering statewide interest for responsible agricultural economic
development of our islands.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on this matter.