HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.239 2012-2014 Page 1 of 2
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From: Jeanne Holmes [jeannelegal @live.com] 2013 Klv
Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 11:28 AM �11 12: 0
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: Sara Steiner
Subject: Support Bill 113
Please ignore the recent barrage of media advertisements which are likely funded by Monsanto or
other large business ventures which oppose Bill 113. I listened to one this morning that spoke to the
issue of anthurium farmers who would have benefited from bio-research then made a comment about
feeding their families. How are these issues even vaguely connected? I love flowers, but there are so
few of them that are edible - anthuriums are not food; anthurium growers don't produce food but the
flowers are nice.
The point is that we all must eat and we have a right to choose what we eat and what we grow to that
end. By blocking the proper labeling of GMO food products Monsanto and other big business
enterprises prevent people here from making conscious choices with regard to these matters in order
that Monsanto and other big businesses might profit by controlling seeds by patent. People will
continue to buy and eat food with no real knowledge or understanding of how it was developed, what
potential health risks might be and what the nutritional value is. Since the federal government was
apparently lobbied to do this by Monsanto and others, it is up to you now to protect our freedom of
choice by restricting those companies to use our island as a giant Petri dish and thereby support the
citizens who live here and endeavor to improve our food security and sustainability.
Companies like Monsanto develop and sell GMO seeds which contaminate Hawaii Island Organic Farms
and Home Gardens with unwanted, unnecessary genes without permission. Worse yet, Monsanto and
others have successfully sued the farmers. It's preposterous. It's like plant rape then punishing the
victim farmer. I question the research of University of Hawaii and the end results of many of their
experiments and the dubious results and health of Hawaii Island insects, birds and wildlife and the
habitat we all share here.
Further, I challenge the relationship between the State of Hawaii and Monsanto with regard to the use
of"Roundup" which is applied in great quantities at considerable cost along the roadsides and washes
in the tremendous rainfall to contaminate the properties of others, as well as, the water shed and the
ocean and the many creatures who are sustained by it and its bounty. Yes, that includes us humans
who may consume the seaweed, sea salt, fish and shellfish. Please take this a step further and stop the
County and State from doing this if for no other reason than it doesn't work. Roundup just stuns the
cane grass then it comes back stronger as Roundup is a fertilizer. The weeds need to be removed
manually; it is much safer and more efficient to remove the weeds completely and replant with desired
ground covers which improve soil conditions.
GMO crops are designed to be grown in conjunction with herbicides like Roundup and may cause
significant and lasting damage to the kidneys of those who apply them. Please protect the farm
workers who don't understand this. Hawaii residents suffer from a disproportionate incidence of
kidney disease and related problems which I believe may be linked to the use of herbicides and
pesticides in the food chain and its production, as well as, road maintenance. 39 � 0239
Comm. No
Ref.To: Pi COW/7a/
11/4/2013 Ref.Date NOV 5 2013
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For centuries good people everywhere have been saving and planting selected seeds from the biggest,
tastiest fruits and vegetables. This is no longer possible with regard to several crops already here on
the Big Island as the seeds have been unwillingly contaminated by GMO pollen. Pollinators such as
wind, bees and other insects carry this junk across property lines much to the dismay of the property
owners, farmers, home gardeners.
Scientific developments by these large companies have also created a system of producing seed
supplies which produce sterile seeds. I'm not so sure that I want to eat this fruit yet alone grow it. I
have the right to make this choice, you have a right to make this choice, all of the people of Hawaii
County have a right to make this choice. Please insure we can choose.
Thank you.
Jeanne
11/4/2013