Right on Billy.

[kalakoa]

quote:

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Originally posted by peteadams

After passage of this bill, it's an unwarranted assumption that the council, administration or, for that matter, some of the populace understand anything of "science" much less being appreciative of science-based research.

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Considering this administration appoints people to posts for which they have no qualifications...

[robguz]

What a sad day. Just emboldening the anti-science know nothings. I wonder what crazy non-issue is next. Banning radio waves? Prison for doctors administering vaccines?

Also bizarre in the mayor's letter is the suggestion the big island grass fed beef is somehow protecting the environment. Ranching has destroyed more of the sensitive ecosystems on this island than anything else. Environmentalism means ending this practice and restoring these lands with native plants (drive past Volcano and look mauka to see quite dramatically where there is no rainforest past the fence where cattle graze). Geothermal is the holy grail of clean energy in the rest of the world, but not here where it's considered much worse than burning diesel. Destruction of native plants to allow ranching is an environmental disaster worldwide, but here it is protecting the aina. Sometimes this place makes me feel like the Tea Party is a group of intellectuals in comparison to the thinking of our elected leaders.

Maybe from now on all of our policies should based on what people who claim they can fly think. Would keep things interesting.

[Obie]

Gmo food production has never been implicated in any illness or death.On the other hand there is this:

Products most people think are purer than other foods are making people seriously ill.

According to recent data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control CDC), people who eat organic and “natural” foods are eight times as likely as the rest of the population to be attacked by a deadly new strain of E. coli bacteria (0157: H7). This new E. coli is attacking tens of thousands of people per year, all over the world. It is causing permanent liver and kidney damage in many of its victims. The CDC recorded 2,471 confirmed cases of E. coli 0157: H7 in 1996 and estimated that it is causing at least 250 deaths per year in the United States alone.

Consumers of organic food are also more likely to be attacked by a relatively new, more virulent strain of the infamous salmonella bacteria. Salmonella was America’s biggest food-borne death risk until the new E. coli O157 came along.

Organic food is more dangerous than conventionally grown produce because organic farmers use animal manure as the major source of fertilizer for their food crops. Animal manure is the biggest reservoir of these nasty bacteria that are afflicting and killing so many people.

Organic farmers compound the contamination problem through their reluctance to use antimicrobial preservatives, chemical washes, pasteurization, or even chlorinated water to rid their products of dangerous bacteria. One organic grower summed up the community’s attitude as follows: “Pasteurization has only been around a hundred years or so; what do they think people did before that?”

The answer is simple. They died young.

[Greg]

Rob says;"It is comforting to know that non-GMO foods never use pesticides. If this is true then wouldn't it make just as much sense to ban pesticides on the Big Island?"
____________________________________________________________________


While it's true that conventional farming uses a lot of pesticide, Monsanto's GMO crops are developed to be resistant to pesticide, which allows farmers to use much more poison. This increases profits to the chemical companies that patent the technology, and increases profits to the agribusiness growers by reducing labor. All at the expense of the consumer; who are subjected to pesticide in the produce, and treated as laboratory test subjects.

I'm OK with limiting the use of pesticide; and regulating GMO is a good first step.

[robguz]

So now if for some reason I wanted to grow BT corn (which I don't) in which the BT is confined to the plant and nothing needs to be sprayed on it, I can't do it or have to register and pay fees. But I can grow corn organically (which I do) and spray it with organic BT dust, most of which becomes airborne and becomes widely dispersed, affecting insects far more places than the crops I sprayed the dust on, and that is not only legal, but is called "organic" and is encouraged.

I do use Safer brand organic BT dust on greens at some times of the year when moth larva destroy most of my greens otherwise. It would be far more environmentally sound if these greens had a gene with BT in them (not harmful to humans-which is why it is an allowed organic pesticide). However this is now illegal, but mass spraying of BT dust qualifies as organically grown and is encouraged. Makes perfect sense.

[ericlp]

What a Joke...

I got tomato's and bananas that are all GMO in my yard. What they gonna do? Come over and tell me I can't grow it? Well, I'll have my middle finger on ready just in case. This is even more stupid than stupid!

Are the religious GMO dirt bags gonna come to your lot? Doubt it!

Thank God tho... We are all back to the Virgin plant! RIGHT??? Oh so are they gonna ban walmart and target and home depot and the many many others that sell monsonto's seeds? They own over 90% of the seed banks. Good Luck with that!

In my opinion this just makes Billy look even more retarded than he really is.

[opihikao]

Mr. Kenoi is in a popularity contest at this point, since he failed miserably with the coqui frog assignment from Harry Kim (his "Coach"), and geothermal issue by NEVER fulfilling his promise to Puna. (Sorry, needed to take one swipe at his ineptness.)

He can surf all the waves he wants, and be "Brudda" when it fits, however, his political career is over (at least, that's what the Democrats are sayin' in my circle). This whole thing is, or, will be, an expensive exercise for us taxpayers.

County Council may end up with egg on their face, again at our expense, as the laws of this land (the great USofA) will not bow to local Hilo (nevermind, Hawai'i State) politics. We are dealing with federal and state mandates. Period. Good Luck with that.

In reading what the legal ramifications may become due to Mr. Kenoi's signing of this bill (yes, he's a lawyer, he knows the language utilized in this bill will end up in court) is no skin off his nose. Not his money; it's ours. He forgot his roots (Kalapana) a long, long time ago.

Where the hell is middle ground? Where is the consideration of scientific evidence? For crying out loud, politics has just screwed the public. Again. Which is all of us. [!] Auwe na ho'i e!

Thank you all for great input on both sides of this issue. I also thank you all, in advance, for not disrespecting Mr. Ha in his position. He is a man of great honor, and "old fashioned aloha". His na'au is pure. Decades of farming allow his opinion to be of value here.

Find the middle ground people, or we all suffer. JMO.

[ericlp]

Farmer and People especially poor people will suffer from this...

It's not me personally that is gonna suffer. I know they won't come after me or anyone else growing GMO plants on their lots. But you might want to stock up on seed.

I guess if I were a farmer that grows 20 acres worth or tomatoes, banana's and what not to sell at the farmers markets... I'd be a bit worried about this... This will only force some farmers to take a big hit to try to re-grow a plant that doesn't do well with all the invasive species or disease that GMO prevented...

I can't wait for fruit to quadruple because now these farmers can't grow squat ... and what they can grow will be quickly eaten up by invasive species. Billy will be changing his tune fast... Ignorance is bliss!

Careful what you wish for I guess. Lucky I got my own Banana's and what not to hold me over as the prices go up.

[Bullwinkle]

related read about china stealing patented (gmo?) seeds:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/scien...y-21215546