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CCL'`TY C FRrt
Murashige, Laura
From: Chris English [chris @ponoholo.com] 2013 NOV 1 3 PM 4: 03
Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 5:05 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Bill 113 Draft 3
Attachments: Bill 113 Testimony 11-5-2013.docx
Aloha: Please see attachment for testimony from the Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council.
Mahalo,
Chris English
Vice President, Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council, Inc.
Comm. No. 3 93. 3 6/
Ref. To: P0V192013
Ref. Date
11/13/2013
Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.
P O Box 137199 Kaintiela Hi 96713
Phone (808) 885 5099 Fax t808 88>7 1.607
e n ail: HICattlemens0 havvaii.rr.c;oni
RE: BILL 113 Relating to the Prohibition of Genetically Modified Organisms
Aloha Chair Yoshimoto and members of the Council:
My name is Chris English, and I am Vice President of the Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council and a Hawai'i
Cattle Rancher. The Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council, Inc. (HCC) is the Statewide umbrella organization
comprised of the five county level Cattlemen's Associations. Our 130+ member ranchers represent over
60,000 head of beef cows; more than 75% of all the beef cows in the State. Ranchers are the stewards
of approximately 25%of the State's total land mass.
"The Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council Strongly Opposes Bill 113 Draft 3 prohibiting Genetically
Modified products from being propagated, cultivated, raised or grown on the Island of Hawaii.
• HCC supports all types of farming & ranching; Natural, organic, conventional and cutting edge
(including GMO, or other science advanced forms) and does not try to endorse one over the
other.
• There is no rational science based reason to limit the growing or consumption of GMO products.
The Growing and consumption of GMO crops is one of the most regulated industries in the
United States, regulated by the FDA, EPA and USDA, despite what this bill mistakenly asserts.
• Over 90%of Hawaiian calves are shipped to the Mainland for pasture and feeding. We have
demand for local beef, however, the past nine years of drought simply does not allow us to keep
more cattle here for finishing and consumption.
• Without reliable, year-round grass or feed, we cannot keep cattle here for finishing. If we have
to grow corn or other crops for silage, there is a good chance that some of those crops may
need to be from GMO seed. In the past, people have tried to grow feed grain in Hawai'i, and it
simply could not be done affordably, because varieties available would not grow well or
economically in the tropics. With the technology available today there is an excellent chance
that a variety could be developed to grow feed crops economically in our environment as has
been done in many other areas in the world.
• Our industry continues to work on securing favorable water rates for irrigating pasture for
grass finishing cattle, but we may also need to rely on growing our own grain and/or silage to
supplement the finishing of our cattle.
• Almost 80%of the beef cattle produced in the State and nearly 100% of the dairy cattle are on
the island of Hawai'i. Ranchers are very interested in finishing more cattle at home, particularly
on grass, and play our part in contributing to the food security of Hawai'i. We cannot always
count on grass growth all year long. It works well to have silage or some grain towards the end
of the feeding period to supplement along with the grass to put a finish on the cattle. It is also
good insurance against drought to have feeds like silage or grain stored which can supplement
our cattle during times of drought.
• We lost nearly all of our dairies in the State as a result of high feed and feed transportation cost.
Two innovative dairies remain and have survived on this island by growing a high percentage of
their own feed. Without GMO seed available, decreased yield and higher herbicide applications
would be required to grow the corn being used for silage being fed to the dairy cattle. Bill 113
would take away the ability of other farmers and ranchers to use these types of production
models to finish more livestock here at home.
Again, the Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council respectfully asks that you oppose Bill 113 Draft 3.
Mahalo,
Chris English
Vice-President, Hawai'i Cattlemen's Council