RESOLUTION on GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TARO We, the Undersigned
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LINDA LINGLE SANDRA LEE KUNIMOTO Governor Chairperson, Board of Agriculture DUANE K. OKAMOTO Deputy to the Chairperson State of Hawaii DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1428 South King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-2512 TESTIMONY OF SANDRA LEE KUNIMOTO CHAIRPERSON, BOARD OF AGRICULTURE BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT THURSDAY, MARCH 19,2009 3:45 P.M. ROOM 225 HOUSE BILL NO. 1663, HD1 RELATING TO TARO SECURITY Chairperson Gabbard and Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify on House Bill No. 1663, HD1. The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the development, testing, propagation, release, importation, planting, and growing of genetically modified Hawaiian taro in the State of Hawaii. In addition, this bill restricts the genetic modification of non-Hawaiian taro only to enclosed laboratories where access is denied to the general public and prohibits outdoor field testing or release of genetically modified taro within the State of Hawaii. The Department offers comments. Agriculture, from its beginning to present, has suffered from pest and disease infestation causing enormous, unpredictable losses in food production. Biotechnology is a critical tool used in many countries to combat crop threatening insects and diseases. Without the biotech development of the ringspot virus resistant papaya, all papaya production in Hawaii, both conventional and organic would have been devastated by the disease. The loss of taro or any major industry in agriculture, by any means, would be devastating to Hawaii. However, advancements in biotechnology exist only through continued research. HB1663, HD1 Page 2 While the department generally does not agree with banning the use of scientifically acceptable technology, we recognize that this House Draft 1 version attempts to reconcile the cultural issue and the need for research. The Department acknowledges and respects the testimony of the Kauai Taro Growers Association, that in deference to the Hawaiian culture, no genetically engineered research should be done on stated Hawaiian cultivars and that research on non-Hawaiian cultivars shall be limited to approved facilities only with no outdoor field testing or release of genetically engineered taro within the State of Hawaii. Agriculture is already at a critical state as battles rage over water, land and limited resources. Let us continue to support co-existence among all agriculture sectors. LINDA LINGLE GOVERNOR THEODORE E. LlU OIRECTOR MARK K. ANDERSON DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM No.1 Capitol District Building, 250 South Hotel Street, 5th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Telephone: (808) 586-2355 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2359, Honolulu, Hawaii 96804 Fax: (808) 586·2377 Web site: www.hawaiLgov/dbedt Statement of THEODORE E. LIU Director Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism before the COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Thursday, March 19,2009 3:45 p.m. State Capitol, Conference Room 225 in consideration of HB 1663 HDI RELATING TO TARO SECURITY. Chair Gabbard, Vice Chair English and Members of the Committee. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DB EDT) supports HB 1663 HD 1 which would establish a ban on developing, testing, propagating, releasing, importing, planting, and growing of genetically modified Hawaiian taro in the State of Hawaii; restrict the genetic modification of non-Hawaiian taro only to enclosed laboratories where access is denied to the general public; and prohibit outdoor field testing or release of genetically modified taro within the State of Hawaii. We believe that this version of the bill has taken into consideration the concerns of all stakeholders and developed acceptable compromise language. Thank you for the opportunity to provide these comments. HB1663HDl - BED - 03-19-09-- ENE draft Council Chair Director of Council Services Danny A. Mateo Ken Fukuoka Vice-Chair Michael J. Molina Council Members Gladys C. Baisa COUNTY COUNCIL Jo Anne Johnson Sol P. Kaho'ohalahala COUNTY OF MAUl Bill Kauakea Medeiros 200 S. HIGH STREET Wayne K. Nishiki WAILUKU, MAUl, HAWAII 96793 Joseph Pontanilla www.mauicountv.gov/council Michael P. Victorino March 17, 2009 TO: Honorable Mike Gabbard, Chair Committee on Energy & environment FROM: Bill Kauakea Medeiros Council Member, East Maui DATE: Thursday, March 19, 2009 @ 3:45 in Conference Room 225 State Capitol, 415 South Beretania Street SUBJECT: Support ofHB 1663, HDl, RELATING TO TARO SECURITY I support HB 1663 for the following reasons: 1. Kalo (Taro) is an important food crop in Hawaii which is a complex carbohydrate whose hypo-allergenic properties are life-saving for those with digestive disorders and allergies and the health implications of non-taro genes in genetically engineered kalo have never been tested, nor have they been approved for human consumption. 2. Cold water and adjusting growing regimes will reduce the threat of damaging taro disease, and as raw taro and value-added taro products represent a multi-million dollar crop in Hawaii with great potential for further growth as the State moves towards food security and self sufficiency, it is important to note that neither of these issues requires a genetically engineered taro solution. 3. Millers and consumers have specifically and consistently rejected the use of genetically modified taro or poi. For these reasons I humbly ask the committee on Energy and Environment to recommend passage of HB 1663. Thank you. _ ..... _._----_ .. _. __ .. _-_._._-----_. __ .. _._.-. __._-------------- Council Chair Director of Council Services Danny A. Mateo Ken Fukuoka Vice-Chair Michael J. Molina Council Members Gladys C. Baisa COUNTY COUNCIL Jo Anne Johnson Sol P. Kaho'ohalahala COUNTY OF MAUl Bill Kauakea Medeiros 200 S. HIGH STREET Wayne K. Nishiki WAILUKU, MAUl, HA WAIl 96793 Joseph Pontanilla www.mauicounty.gov/council Michael P. Victorino March 18, 2009 TO: Honorable Mike Gabbard, Chair Senate Committee on Energy and Environment FROM: SUBJECT: HEARING CH 19,2009; TESTIMONY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON HB 1663, HDl, RELATING TO TARO SECURITY Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this important measure. The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the development, testing, propagation, release, importation, planting, or growing of genetically modified Hawaiian taro in the state. This measure also prohibits certain activities related to genetically modified non-Hawaiian taro. The Maui County Council has not had the opportunity to take a formal position on this measure. Therefore, I am providing this testimony in my capacity as an individual member of the Maui County Council. I offer the following comments on this measure: 1. Kala has tremendous agricultural, cultural, and traditional significance to the residents of Hawaii. Genetically modified taro is disrespectful of the cultural foundation that taro holds for Hawaii's people. Therefore, I support the intent of this measure to protect traditional types of Hawaiian taro. 2. The attached Maui County Resolution No. 08-31 is indicative of Maui County's support of State legislation to protect our native taro. 3. While I support the intent of this measure, I am disappointed that this measure does not designate enforcement authority to an agency that has the proper resources to regulate this type of activity. Thank you for your consideration of my testimony. ocs:proj:legis:09Iegis:09testimony: hb I 663,hd l.Jlaf09-082a_ln Resolution No. 08-31 URGING SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL NO. 958, RELATING TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 958, currently pending before the Hawaii State Legislature, will impose a ten-year moratorium on developing, testing, propagating, cultivating, growing, and raising genetically-engineered taro in the State; and WHEREAS, kalo, the Hawaiian word for taro, is a culturally significant plant to the kanaka maoli, Hawaii's indigenous peoples; and WHEREAS, kalo is an integral part of the Native Hawaiian culture and represents Haloa, the elder brother of man, and genetically altering the structure of the taro plant represents a defilement of the genealogical link between the two; and. WHEREAS, today, there remain approximately 85 varieties of kalo out of the hundreds that were known in Hawaii and, of these, the majority, approximately 69 varieties, are unique to the Hawaiian islands due to the horticultural skills of native Hawaiian farmers; and WHEREAS, farmers, Hawaiian groups, and private individuals have expressed their concerns that genetically-modified taro will destroy the genetic strains of native taro species, and is disrespectful of the cultural foundation taro holds for Native Hawaiians and their religious practices; and WHEREAS, kalo is a healthy and nutritious staple in the diets of many residents throughout the State of Hawaii; and WHEREAS, the important cultural relationship between kalo and the kanaka maoH expresses the spiritual and physical well-being of not only the kanaka maoli and their heritage, but also symbolizes the environmental, social, and cultural values important to the State of Hawaii; and WHEREAS, kalo continues to have tremendous aglicultural, cultural, and traditional significance to the residents of our County and State; and Resolution No. --..:..-----08-31 WHEREAS, cross~pol1ination of genetically-modified kalo would place an immeasureable threat on traditional varieties; and WHEREAS, the amount of usable land for raising kalo is scarce in the County of Maui, and any negative impact would devastate the kalo industry in the County of Maui; and WHEREAS, experimenting with the genetic engineering of this crop, without thoroughly examining and evaluating the adverse effects of that process, is careless and could have far~reaching, irreversible, and unintended consequences; and WHEREAS, the purpose of Senate Bill No. 958 is to recognize the importance of kalo in the heritage of the State, by creating a ten-year moratorium on developing, testing, propagating, cultivating, growing, and raising of genetically-engineered kalo in the State of Hawaii; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLYED by the Council of the County of Maui: 1. That it hereby urges support of Senate Bill No.