HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.819 2018-2020 Murashige, Laura
From: Nancy Redfeather <nancyredfeather@hawaii.rr.com>
Sent: Wednesday,January 08, 2020 6:16 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Villegas, Rebecca; Karen Eoff; Nancy Redfeather
Subject: Testimony Bill 101 - Glyphosate Use in America
Dear Members of the Hawai'i County Council,
Sorry to be last minute, but I just received these from the USDA this morning. I thought I would attach these
simple charts from the USDA to show the use of glyphosate in America today. As you can see it continues to
be on the rise (Chart 1) and the use has grown to over 132 million pounds per year. But, you will note also in
figure 2, that 2,4-D and Dicamba are starting to be used(extremely toxic)because of the last chart. The
number of weeds (47)now resistant to glyphosate. Plants will all"evolve"to resist glyphosate and then the
County will need to use a stronger herbicide. Time to rethink this system.
Mahalo,
Nancy Redfeather
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Ref. o: 1 h(a�
1Ref. Date JAN - 8 2020
Share of genetically engineered soyboan,
cotton and,,corn variaties,by acieage Total weedkiller usage on U.S,saybean
planted in the US, field's
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Aloha Members of the Hawai'i County Council,
Mahalo to the Council for considering the Veto override of Bill 101, banning the use of listed herbicides from
County properties with certain exemptions. I would be testifying in person, but the centipede bite I received on
Christmas eve, requires that I still remain at home.
I realize that it is always difficult to be a"leader" especially in land use management practices. The chemical
companies and their products have had quite a hold on Hawai'i since the plantation era, but clearly, current
research and practice shows that these products (herbicides) are extremely harmful to human health and the
environment. It seems only a matter of time before the County could find themselves in a lawsuit over
spraying of roadsides and parks. One of the Counties strongest mandates is to care for the health of the
environment and the citizens, something that thankfully the County still has some control over. The County
can create a"higher standard"than the State. By Passing Bill 101,the County is beginning to develop an IPM
system and protocols for County roadsides,parks, and other corridors.
I have lived, worked, and raised my family in the Kona Community for the past 42 years. I owned and operated
the first commercial Nursery"The Greenhouse"for 6 years beginning in 1980. It was during those years, being
intimately connected with the world of plants and landscaping, that I learned about the toxicity of the industry
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and agriculture in general. I have had first hand experiences with the toxic nature of herbicides. And although I
never sprayed them myself, it is very much like living in a"second hand smoke" environment. We are all
affected by our environment. Our environment is one of the primary effectors of human health.
There are now more than 18,000 Round-up/Glyphosate lawsuits and growing. We can read expert studies that
show that herbicides are indeed dangerous for human and environmental health. And, while there are no easy
solutions, there are solutions, and when you pass this Bill,the three year period will give the Transition
Team at the County the time they need to create the new strategy for a safer way to care for roadside
management,that could include steam or hot-foam, increased ability to mow, use of organic products,
etc.
Once the new direction is clear, the right information will come, I'm sure of it. The County will then be setting
a precedent for a new direction for agriculture and the homeowner who can all learn from this new
direction. These directions are necessary for the future health of our people, lessen liability for the County and
County Workers, and begin to create the atmosphere for a new direction of health for Hawai'i Island. I would
be interested in being part of a Transition Team.
Aloha and Mahalo for your work,
Nancy Redfeather
Kawanui Farm
Honalo, Hawai'i
nancyiedfeather@hawaii.rr.com
808-322-801
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