HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0393.530 2012-2014 Murashige, Laura
From: George Zweibel [gzbjhawaii @gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2013 6:24 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Bill 113
Attachments: Bill 113-testimony-GZ-111913.doc
Bill
estimony-GZ-11191
I attach the testimony I sent by email earlier today to each council member in
connection with the November 19, 2013 hearing on Bill 113 . Please ensure that my
testimony is placed in the record.
Thank you,
George Zweibel
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Comm. No,
393.530
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1 Ref. Dote. NOV 1 9 2013
GEORGE J. ZWEIBEL
P.O. Box 1245
Honoka'a, Hawaii 96727
Hawaii County Council
Hearing: Tuesday, November 19, 2013, 9:00 a.m.
TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF BILL 113
Chair, Vice Chair and Councilmembers:
My name is George Zweibel. I am an attorney and have lived in Honoka'a for
many years. I have spent many hours providing unpaid legal and other services
to the Hamakua North Hilo Agricultural Cooperative and other local nonprofit
organizations. I also served on the Steering Committee and as chair of the Land
Use and Affordable Housing Committees of the Hamakua Agriculture Plan.
In essence, Bill 113 prohibits open air cultivation, propagation, development, or
testing of new GMO crops or plants. I strongly support enactment of Bill
113, which largely implements the community's recommendations
regarding the planting of genetically modified organisms (GMO") in the
Hamakua, as stated in the Hamakua Agriculture Plan.
I was surprised to learn recently that the County Council may not have received
previous testimony regarding the Hamakua Ag Plan, which specifically addresses
the planting of GMOs in Hamakua. The final report on the Hamakua Ag Plan,'
issued in 2006, was based on input from hundreds of Hamakua residents as well
as agricultural producers.
The Hamakua Ag Plan involved a series of public meetings, countless hours of
volunteer and committee work, and ongoing outreach to the community for input,
through which strategic issues were identified as necessary for the continuation
of a rural Hamakua community and the growth of diversified agriculture in the
area. The first community meeting was held in August 2004. Through utilization
of a strategic planning process, facilitated by the Hawai'i County Research and
Development Department, key issues regarding the Ha❑ma❑kua community
were identified and committees of volunteers were formed to create an outline for
the Ha❑ma❑kua Agriculture Plan. Two additional public meetings were held in
2004 and the initial plan was formally presented to the community at a public
meeting held in January 2005. Nearly 1,000 copies of the draft Plan were
Hamakua Agriculture Plan: Sustaining Rural Hamakua Through Agriculture(May 2006).
1
distributed in the following months and additional input was sought out and
obtained from a wide range of community members and agricultural producers.
All of the comments and input received were carefully considered as the final
revisions to the Plan were made. The final report was completed in May 2006 .
Early on, many community members expressed concern regarding the planting
of GMOs in Hamakua. Few other issues received the amount of discussion and
consideration as whether GMOs have a place in Hamakua. In the end, an
overwhelming majority opposed any further planting of GMOs. However, to
balance the contrary views expressed by some agricultural producers - mostly
ranchers - the Plan recommends that the County Council prohibit new GMO
plants unless it is first established that a safer alternative does not exist. This is
entirely consistent with Bill 113.2
Totally ignoring the clear concerns of those who live and work in Hamakua, as
unequivocally stated in the Hamakua Ag Plan, a mainland individual
subsequently planted a large plot of genetically modified corn. This provides
ample proof of what can and will happen if Bill 113 is not passed. Prompt
enactment of Bill 113 is needed to protect Hawai'i Island's non-GMO agricultural
crops and plants from cross pollination and to preserve the Island's unique and
vulnerable ecosystem. At the same time, it would avoid subjecting farmers to the
risk of costly litigation resulting from the unavoidable cross-pollination by GMO
plants.
For the above reasons, I respectfully request that the Council approve Bill 113
without further delay.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on this most important issue.
2 Although the Hamakua Ag Plan preceded the CDP process, it continues to reflect the community's
overwhelming consensus regarding GMO plants and crops in Hamakua.
2