HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.099 2012-2014 Page 1 of 2
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Murashige, Laura fl ,
From: Jenni Bearden [Jenni @TheWebLotus.com] 20I3 ET 1 U PM 3: 14 3
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2013 9:22 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: GMO Bill 113?
Hello Mr. Iligan,
As you might imagine, quite a few people in Puna,which district you represent, are very disappointed in your
vote in not supporting Bill 113, which would prohibit further entrance of GMO crops to the island. Why are you
not supporting Bill 113?
GMO food-stuffs and the glyphosate-based RoundUp and other pesticides used on GMO crops, are unsafe.They
have indeed been proven toxic, per the peer-reviewed literature—not unlike DDT, PCBs and dioxins (also
manufactured by Monsanto and other biotech companies).The pesticides used on GMO crops will be increasing
not only in quantity, but in type, as the toxic treadmill of continued stacked trait GMO varieties must be
engineered to deal with the constant resistance formed by superweeds and superbugs. These weeds and bugs
mutate according to the same principles as resistant bacterial strains do against antibiotics.
In my opinion, and that of many others, GMO foods are a farce.They are merely a means for big chemical
companies to sell their pesticides.To sell their products exclusively, hand-in-hand, means these corporations
had to find out a way to control both the pesticide and food market. By creating food crops which are pesticide-
specific (for which no other pesticide will work, hence the name "Roundup Ready),these companies get to sell
billions of pounds of pesticides which work only on their pesticide-resistant inventions. Indeed, to get farmers to
spray tons of poison on their fields, and to justify their products (GMO food-stuffs) they have to justify why their
food crops are better than any others. So, they come up with all sorts of reasons, such as greater yield and less
pesticide use (which claim is logically ridiculous) and feeding the starving, all of which have been proven to be
false.
The existing evidence, as exemplified by the Cytochrome P-450 issue, in addition to the certain near-future more
toxic and uncertain pesticide applications (no testing has been done for multiple pesticides such as RoundUp
and 2,4-D on one plant type, such as corn, per research by a colleague) are linked to severe illness and
degradation of the natural environment. We cannot risk such injury to the 'aina (land) here on Hawaii Island, the
last bastion for a life largely free of the menace and chaos currently being experienced on the other islands by
GMO industry, most notable on Kauai.
The organic papaya market is expanding and in great demand, while that of the GMO Papaya industry is
shrinking, especially as people around the world learn of the dangers of GMOs. Given that now you have gone
on record as supporting the GMO industry in Hawaii, I encourage you to learn about organic papaya farming and
educate farmers on future transitions to organic. Local sustainable agriculture is the way of the future, if we are
lucky enough to have one as a human species.
Even though Monsanto and other companies are spending millions to maintain their present control and
influence in the marketplace as well as the government, the rest of the world is refusing to import US GMO
products, as are more and more local communities in the US showing the same trend. Mexico just announced a
ban on GMO corn, a ban for which last year I signed a petition that has garnered over 46,000 signatures, which
ended up helping to postpone massive plantings of GMO corn on Mexico soil. The judge in Mexico cited the
"Precautionary Principle," which is what our Bill 113 is predicated upon (until unequivocally proven safe, we do
not do it). This unprecedented ban was granted by the Twelfth Federal District Court for Civil Matters of Mexico
Comm.No, 3 x'3. 9 9
Ref.To:, a/Counu'(
10/14/2013 Ref.pate, to 15 "I
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City. Judge Jaime Eduardo Verdugo J. wrote the opinion and cited "the risk of imminent harm to the
environment" as the basis for the decision.
Hawai'i island could well be in the forefront of a transition that would be not only economically viable—a
significant preventive health measure for humans, plants, animals, and the land and sea—but also create a more
robust and sustainable environment, and as a bonus, confer the honor of doing what is right. After all, no
amount financial benefit justifies knowingly poisoning the populace and environment. GMO farmers can find
another way and we can help them.
Of course there are many sides to consider, and I hope you have an understanding of the gravity of the GMO
issue and the passing of this bill to bring Hawai'i island one step closer to becoming a shining example of
intelligence and moral and environmental sustainability, not just another part of the problem by caving into the
destructive results found all over the world due to GMO farming. I encourage you to take heartfelt concern in
weighing the short-term economic viability of our community versus the longer-term welfare for all. Nowadays
we all have to be part of the solution to reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuel burning, which GMO farming
and commerce exacerbates as compared to local, organic farming.
In one sense, to discuss the issue of GMO in this context is almost absurd, given that the newly released IPCC
Report (International Panel on Climate Control) clearly says that our entire planet, including the survival of the
human species, is on a fast track to climate change collapse. GMO farming—with its heavy petroleum-based,
non-local import-export model, and chemical reliance—make it a part of the problem, not the solution. GMO
farming makes no sense in the small or the bigger picture. I encourage you to act and to vote wisely and to
continue to educate yourself on the seriousness of the issues at hand, to represent the needs and wishes of the
people you represent, not only with regard GMO policy, but with climate change generally.
We desperately need a local-based, organic food system that does not significantly contribute to global warming
and climate change.This is our best bet for future security, not the myth and damages created by the GMO
industry and their pesticides. Human being can actually create more biomass and more carbon-sequestering
using organic and permaculture designs.This is our hope for real security and tempering the already occurring
chaos from climate change.
Thank you for your attention and continued efforts to act for the long-term good of our health. I look forward to
hearing back from you.
Sincerely,
Jenni Bearden
Pahoa, HI
10/14/2013