Another appropriate forward:
From: Na Maka o ka 'Aina
Subject: ISLANDS AT RISK - new video on genetic engineering in Hawai'i
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ISLANDS AT RISK -
GENETIC ENGINEERING IN HAWAI'I
new video premieres on island public access channels in January
CONTACT:
Na Maka o ka `Aina
808.929.9659
namaka@interpac.net
The environmental law firm Earthjustice and the documentary team Na Maka o ka `Aina announce the television premiere of a new video entitled ISLANDS AT RISK – GENETIC ENGINEERING IN HAWAI'I. This half-hour program explores a subject that has received little attention in the media but that involves a potential public health and safety issue of enormous consequence.
Focusing on local experiments with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the program features Hawai`i farmers, teachers, legal and medical experts and community activists who share their perspective on the genetic engineering of crops and the patenting of life forms.
“Hawai`i has been called the GMO testing capitol of the world because, in the past ten years or so, we have had here more than 2,000 field tests of experimental genetically-engineered crops in more than 6,000 locations around our small state,” says Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff in the video. “And this is more than any other place in the world.”
Earthjustice has won recent lawsuits in federal and state courts challenging the introduction of these experimental crop tests in the islands without first assessing the environmental and human health impacts.
ISLANDS AT RISK – GENETIC ENGINEERING IN HAWAI'I looks at some of the possible impacts, including allergic and immune system responses from exposure to biopharmaceutical crops—both in humans and in Hawai`i’s endangered species—and contamination of regular food crops such as papaya, taro, coffee and corn with genetically modified versions of those crops.
“Some people say it’s a tiny risk,” says Kaua`i taro farmer Chris Kobayashi in the video, “but it’s a huge risk.”
Some of that risk is described by medical doctor, public health officer and World Health Organization consultant Dr. Lorrin Pang of Maui who calls for more oversight of the genetic engineering industry. Regarding the substances introduced into the cells of GMO plants, Pang states, “These things are not benign. These things are quite unknown. The kinds of studies we do for drugs and vaccines are exactly what genetically-engineered food needs.”
Aside from health issues, the video focuses on the economics of the current state government policy of subsidizing the biotech industry. Local organic farmers growing coffee, papaya, taro and corn point out that genetically engineered produce does not command the export market prices of conventionally-grown and organic produce. Many countries either refuse to import GE food or require labeling. “We’re going in the wrong direction for economic development,” says international legal expert Mililani Trask of Hilo in the video. “We need to re-assess it.”
Trask also discusses the practice of patenting Hawaiian life forms, calling it a form of bio-piracy. “We Kanaka Maoli are claiming our inalienable right to the biodiversity of our lands. This is the heart of what we are in terms of our survival, our ability to maintain our health.”
The recent attempt by the University of Hawai`i to patent taro, honored as an ancestor of the Hawaiian people, is recounted in the video by Moloka`i hunter and Hawaiian activist Walter Ritte. His and others’ successful efforts to persuade the UH to drop their patents on new hybrid Hawaiian taro varieties was a signal to the whole biotechnology industry, Ritte says in the video, that “you cannot own our ancestors.”
The issue of food security and the world’s future ability to feed itself is discussed by Kona farmers Una Greenaway and Nancy Redfeather.
“By choosing the path of genetically-engineered agriculture, we are narrowing significantly the amount of seed varieties that are available to the farmer today,” says Redfeather.
Greenaway adds: “Biotech companies always claim this technology is there to feed the world. And I believe it’s exactly the opposite. When you have a GE crop, every single plant in that hundreds and hundreds of acres is exactly the same. So there is no more biodiversity.”
The video ends with a vision of Hawai`i as a model for sustainable tropical agriculture. “Hawai`i is a niche specialty market for amazing things: coffee, pineapple, banana, flowers. We can actually support ourselves with this,” says Kona mixed organic farmer Melanie Bondera.
The program was produced for Earthjustice by Joan Lander and Puhipau of the documentary production team Na Maka o ka `Aina, based on Hawai`i island. DVDs are available at
www.namaka.com .
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CABLE TELEVISION SCHEDULE
ISLANDS AT RISK – GENETIC ENGINEERING IN HAWAI'I
will premiere on public access channels throughout the islands
during the month of January according to the following schedule.
HAWAI'I ISLAND
Na Leo o Hawai'i - Channel 54
every Friday nite in January at 8 pm
MAUI
Akaku - Visions Channel 53
January 4, 7:00 pm
January 12, 5:30 pm
January 20, 9:00 pm
January 29, 5:00 pm
O'AHU
'Olelo - Channel 54
every Friday nite in January at 8 pm
Tuff Talk, hosted by Ruth Hsu, PhD, presents ISLANDS AT RISK
followed by interview with Paul Achitoff of Earthjustice
January 5, 8 pm
January 12, 8 pm
January 19, 8 pm
January 26, 8 pm
other ISLANDS AT RISK showings
'Olelo - Channel 52
January 4, 8:30 pm
January 11, 11 am
January 18, 8:30 pm
KAUA'I
to be announced
