The Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods & Pesticides by Dr. Lorrin Pang

Speaking as an private citizen, Dr. Lorrin Pang has been connected to the issue of Genetic Engineering for the last 12 years and will be in Hilo to share his experience and his knowledge with us on April 19, 2014 and then again on May 24, 2014. 

Dr. Lorrin Pang has been invited to speak on the risks of Genetically Engineered Food & Pesticides through out the Hawaiian Islands, New Mexico, Thailand, and Brazil and has been featured in several movies about GMOs in Hawaii; including "Islands at Risk" and "Round Up Ready Nation".  Dr. Lorrin Pang is currently employed as the Chief Health Officer for the Maui Department of Health and is a medical consultant for the World Health Organization. He is a resident of Maui, and has a home on Hawaii Island, he is very knowledgeable about the science and medical perspectives surround GMOs, in Hawaii and nationally. We are extremely excited to welcome him to speak in Hilo, Hawaii. 

Online Biography: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Lorrin-Pang/1197970549

Previously recorded presentations: 
Short Version (32:26): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96THFy-gbNo
Full Version (135:58):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCGIf0GSwX8&feature=youtu.be

REFERENCES MENTIONED IN VIDEO:
[control or right-click links to download]
* http://PiALOGUE.info/books/Safety-of-...
* http://PiALOGUE.info/books/FDA-Scienc...
* http://AAEMonline.org/gmopost.html American Academy of Environmental Medicine

Bill 113 - Final Hearing Recessed Com #393.166

Bill 113 for GMO prohibition on Hawaii island was recessed at 6:30pm and will continue in 2 weeks, on Tuesday, November 19th, at 9 am in Kona & all satellite centers. Public testimony will continue for those who signed up and did not have time today. This is a continuation, so those who already spoke will not be able to testify again.

COM #393.166 was distributed to councilmembers upon, Chair J Yoshimoto's arrival at 5:16pm, and can be viewed online:
http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/DocView.aspx?id=799149&searchid=894e413d-ad6e-432f-9f78-d11705a7b99b&dbid=0

The proposed amendments where not on today's agenda, and the public did not have the opportunity to review the communication prior to today's session. When the Council begins their discussion, councilmember Yoshimoto will have an opportunity to introduce his amendment to the council. If the council accepts his amendment the public will have another opportunity to testify (on draft 4) -- prolonging the hearing.

We will provide a more in-depth summary shortly.
Mahalo for standing with us.
GMOFHI

Website: http://www.gmofreehawaiiisland.org
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeHawaiiIsland
Email: gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com

Hawai`i County Council Contact Information:
County Council Contact Information:
https://sites.google.com/site/gmofhi2/legislation/council-contact-information

Bill 113 - Final Reading! Com #393.70

Aloha e kakou,

The final hearing of Bill 113 is scheduled in Hilo on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. GMO-Free Hawaii Island is supporting the immediate passage of Bill 113 even though it is not exactly the ordinance that we worked hard to achieve. This difficult decision was made based on the following:

1. Councilmember Margaret Wille will not remove the Emergency Exemption from the bill
2. Corn will not be sunset in order to protect from a potential challenge because the bill exempts only papaya.
3. If there are many objections to the bill, Council Chairman Yoshimoto is likely to postpone the bill.
4. The danger with postponement is that the bill will not be passed by December 31st, and the County risks being overridden by State legislation aimed at pre-empting the Counties’ right to pass GMO ordinances.
5. If the bill is not passed, this topic cannot be brought before the Council for two years.

Kauai Councilman, Gary Hooser’s Bill 2491 to regulate biotech chemical spraying was gutted to remove all references to GMO regulation, and he advises us to take the small steps forward. The previous Hawaii Council vote was 6-2 with Councilman Kern absent. The final vote could be better. State Senator Russell Ruderman describes Bill 113 as a big step forward because it will prevent biotech field testing, and other positive aspects are that it will stop new GMO crop plantings, current GMO growers are required to register to disclose their operations and with the exception of papaya, are limited to specific locations cultivated prior to the effective date of the ordinance, and an emergency exemption application is a long process requiring at least four appearances before the Council.

For those who haven’t seen the current Bill 113 in its entirety, here is the link:
http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/WebLink8/0/doc/798046/Page1.aspx

Moving forward there are other ways to tackle the GMO problem. The Ad Hoc Committee could tighten up the language of the bill, new bills can be introduced, and there is the option of amending the County Charter by ballot initiative.

When the bill passes, the challenge will be to encourage Mayor Kenoi to sign it into law. If the mayor vetos the bill, it is very possible that the yearend goal to avoid state pre-emption would be missed.

AGENDA: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/DocView.aspx?id=798430

Mahalo for your support!
GMO-Free Hawaii Island

Bill 113 - TAKE ACTION

Aloha e kakou,

 

The vote after the first reading of Bill 113 at the full Council hearing on Oct. 16, was 6-2 with Zendo Kern absent, Onishi and Ilagan voting NO.  Council Chair J. Yoshimoto changed his previous NO vote to YES.  Mahalos are in order for his support of the bill.  Councilmember Onishi's amendments to gut the bill were not brought up for discussion.

 

The second and final reading of the bill and vote could be scheduled for the next full Council meeting which is Nov. 6, and we will confirm the date when it is set.

The vote was taken on an amended bill that most citizens did not have an opportunity to see,

http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/797966/Page1.aspx 

1. which now includes an emergency exemption enabling a grower to apply to Council to use a GMO remedy for a crop experiencing "substantial harm" by a plant pestilence and where there is no alternative solution.  The exemption would be granted for 5 years with possibility of renewal. Councilmember Wille explained that she wrote it to dispel the fears of interested parties.  
2. The registration section was also amended to withhold the exact location of GMO cultivation to public access, to address the fears of GMO growers that they would be targets of vandalism. 

 

TAKE ACTION:  The Emergency Exemption (see page 5 of the bill) is dangerous and has to be removed from the bill before it becomes law.  PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DEMAND ITS REMOVAL.  PLEASE CALL COUNCIL CHAIR J. YOSHIMOTO TO LET HIM KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT SEE THE NEW EMERGENCY EXEMPTION BEFORE YOU WROTE YOUR TESTIMONY, and testimony must be allowed on it because it changes the bill.  

Any of the points below would be important to discuss when you contact them.

1. As we have experienced with papaya, the growers are fighting a losing battle to keep their shrinking markets.  Using GMO as a remedy did not save the industry. 
2. This exemption actually guts the purpose of the bill.
3. This is a loophole allowing exemptions to unlimited GMO crops or other GMO materials.  
4. Contamination from an emergency exempted crop cannot be tracked without expert resources and can occur far from the growing site. 
5. This exemption could allow for GMO crops with new unsafe traits for which the County does not have the resources to evaluate.
6. A "GMO remedy" can mean newly developed materials applied to crops or soil, not just a GMO crop to replace the affected crop.  
7. Organic farmers cannot use this option if they are losing a crop.
8. The emergency exemption limits what neighboring non-GMO farmers can grow.
9. The export market will not support GMO crops, so why allow them to use up precious island resources.
10. GMO crops destroy life and should not be allowed to replace one on Hawaii Island that is dying out. 
11. It is impossible to verify that there are no alternative sources for a plant pestilence.
12. If Bill 113 does not provide for enforcement, how will any exempted GMO crop be enforced for contamination or any other "potential" adverse effects?
13. Sunset the contaminating GMO corn in Hamakua. 

SEND THIS MESSAGE OUT TO YOUR NETWORKS.  A very large response is needed.

 

Mahalo for your QUICK ACTION to get this exemption removed from the bill.

GMO-Free Hawaii Island    gmofreehawaiiisland.org

Visit our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeHawaiiIsland

Email:  gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com

Hawai`i County Council Contact Information

https://sites.google.com/site/gmofhi2/legislation/council-contact-information

SPECIAL MEETING for GMO Bill 113 on October 15, 2013 at 4 pm

SPECIAL MEETING: 4 PM - October 15, 2013
Council Hearing for GMO BILL #113

Bill 113 was passed by the PSMTC on October 1, 2013 it is now before the COUNCIL for the first of two readings, on October 15, 2013.

Bill 113 GMO Prohibition (Comm 393.62) is on the Council agenda Tuesday, October 15, at 4:00 p.m. in Kona. Testimony is allowed on this second draft of Bill 113. There is a possibility that testimony could continue on Wednesday, but that is not known at this time. Don’t wait on that possibility….send your written testimony now.

• http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/797196/Page1.aspx

In conjunction with the bill is Comm 394 formation of Ad Hoc Committee Relating to GE Crops and Plants, and testimony can be given on this.

• http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/794737/Page1.aspx

Submit Testimony:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lb-council-meeting
This is the last step to PASS the BILL!

Councilmember Wille is interested in passing the bill and forming an ad hoc committee as quickly as possible. One reason is the looming threat from the next Hawaii Legislature to pre-empt home rule. There is a problem with the bill….it allows Big Island Dairy’s GMO corn to continue to grow.

The bill grandfathers in GMO corn in Pepeekeo, Honomu and Ookala (approx. 350 acres) spread along the Hamakua coastline, allowing it to continue to grow, but not to expand acreage. This exemption is out of sync with GMO prohibition of “open air” cultivation. If GMO corn is not prohibited, non-GMO corn growers in Hamakua and elsewhere on Hawaii Island would be hard put to bring in a clean crop.

It is the intention of Councilmember Wille to have the ad hoc committee remove the GMO corn exemption AFTER the bill is passed. This “good intention” doesn’t assure removal, and could get derailed, leaving Hawaii Island with a second open air contaminating crop alive and well in the field.

Call your councilmember requesting an amendment be written to sunset GMO corn and presented at the Oct. 15 hearing. The Council contact list is attached. Testimony to sunset this corn within 24 months would be a good follow up to a call requesting an amendment. MANY VOICES MUST BE HEARD TO GET GMO CORN OUT OF THE BILL BEFORE IT PASSES.

Councilmember Onishi has drafted three amendments to gut the bill. Please also testify that you do not support these amendments along with their “Comm” numbers.

1. Comm 393.052 Amendment to Bill 113 to exempt GMO research & cultivation by universities and government agencies, flower/horticulture industry, and allow cultivation of approved GMO crops/plants.
   http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/796106/Page1.aspx
2. Comm 393.053 Amendment to Bill 113 to exempt GMO papaya from registration.
   http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/796107/Page1.aspx 
3. Comm 393.054 This amendment repeats papaya and university/government GMO statements in both amendments above.
   http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/0/doc/796108/Page1.aspx

Mahalo for your continued support and action on this important issue.
GMO-Free Hawaii Island gmofreehawaiiisland.org
FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeHawaiiIsland
Email: gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com