Only intelligent people who are not weighed down by the onus and sepulchral
shroud of slavish addiction and identification to an unethical scam are those
who care about what I say.
But I'll throw you a bone:
http://bigislandnow.com/2013/12/05/kenoi-signs-anti-gmo-bill-into-law/
Kenoi Signs Anti-GMO Bill Into Law
East Hawaii News, Featured Articles, News, North Hawaii News, West Hawaii News
by Dave Smith
Mayor Billy Kenoi today signed into law a bill that bans any new uses of
genetically modified crops on the Big Island.
Kenoi announced his decision to sign Bill 113 in a letter to the County Council.
The council passed the measure on Nov. 19 on a 6-3 vote.
The bill prohibits new open-air growing of genetically modified organisms, also
known as GMOs.
Kenoi’s letter said he signed the bill “after careful deliberation and
discussions with members of my administration and the public ….”
“Our community has a deep connection and respect for our land, and we all
understand we must protect our island and preserve our precious natural
resources,” Kenoi said. “We are determined to do what is right for the land
because this place is unlike any other in the world.”
Under the new law, which takes effect immediately, those already growing GMO
crops will be permitted to continue that practice, but must register with the
county Department of Research and Development the area where that is occurring
and pay a $100 annual fee for each location.
Hawai`i County Council members listened to countless hours of testimony on the
subject of GMOs over a period of seven months. File photo.
Hawai`i County Council members listened to countless hours of testimony on the
subject of GMOs over a period of seven months. File photo.
Farmers of GMO papayas may expand or relocate their crops to new areas as long
as the registration condition is met.
However, those growing other transgenic crops, including Big Island Dairy which
grows GMO corn on the Hamakua coast for cattle feed, must restrict those crops
to where they have “customarily” been grown.
Those who break the law are subject to fines of up to $1,000 per day for each
location in violation and also would be responsible for “all costs of
investigation, as well as for court and legal costs.” They would also be
responsible for “resulting damages to other non-genetically engineered crops,
plants, neighboring properties, or water sources.”
The council has been wrestling with the matter for the past seven months,
during which time it heard from hundreds of people both in favor and opposed to
the bill over at least nine days of contentious testimony.
Kenoi’s letter acknowledged the strong differences of opinion.
“The debate over this bill has at times been divisive and hurtful, and some of
our hard-working farmers who produce food for our community have been treated
disrespectfully,” it said.
“It is time to end the angry rhetoric and reach out to our neighbors,” Kenoi
said. “Our farmers are essential to creating a wholesome and sustainable food
supply on this island, and they deserve to be treated with respect and aloha.”
Demonstrations were staged by those on both sides of the debate, including
those, picture above, who maintained the a GMO ban would unnecessarily handcuff
farmers. File photo.
Demonstrations were staged by those on both sides of the debate, including
those, pictured above, who maintained that a GMO ban would unnecessarily
handcuff farmers. File photo.
Kenoi’s letter said that Big Island residents “must turn now to a meaningful,
factual dialogue with one another.”
“With my approval of this bill, our administration will launch a year of
research and data collection to investigate factual claims and to seek out new
directions that farming in our community should take,” Kenoi said.
He said that will include analysis of the locations of both organic and
conventional farms, the types of crops grown and estimates of their revenues,
and of “the challenges our farmers face in meeting food safety and organic
certification requirements.”
“We will work with our farmers and our ranchers to carefully monitor the
impacts of this bill over the next year to separate speculation and guesswork
from the facts,” the letter said.
Bill 113, which was introduced by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, was
actually the third GMO-restricting measure taken up by the council.
The first was introduced by Wille in April but withdrawn in August for
fine-tuning.
Wille and Ka`u Councilwoman Brenda Ford both introduced new bills in September.
Ford’s measure, which would have banned all GMO crops including transgenic
papaya, failed to get out committee.
Testimony in support of Bill 113 took several forms, including opposition to
GMO foods in general as well as condemnation of large bio-technology firms such
as Monsanto which promote their usage.
Those in opposition included scientists and virtually all agricultural groups
on the Big Is
