Celebrate the music of Hawai’i, and the undying spirit of Puna

Letters

Oh no, GMO

Feb 25, 2009

House bill 1226, introduced to prohibit the state from passing bans on genetic modification, is complete nonsense. The goal of GMOs is to generate seed patents for large corporations and restrict the seed market to a few branded seeds for which farmers and consumers will pay dearly. This bill must die on arrival.

Being against GMO is not being anti-science, I am all for GMOs (especially for medicinal purposes) in a controlled, enclosed lab environment. Growing GMO in the open is just too great a contamination risk. Contamination by foreign genes in seeds destroys native seeds, their history and lineage. And there is something quite unethical and abnormal about unnaturally forcing foreign genes into other genes when nature really did not intent for genes to cross species.

Furthermore, growing GMO in Hawaii and contaminating organic seeding will close most world markets to our products, in particular for coffee, macadamia nuts and so forth, because most European and Asian countries will not buy tainted food.

GMO experimenting should never have started in Hawaii, we are getting close to the point of no return where no native food will be able to grow naturally, and since we have no label laws, and my children and I will be eating God knows what.

Granted, Hawaii is the perfect place for experimentation may it be GMOs, nuclear power, virus culture and so forth, after all we are an island, and corporations—with your tacit support—have declared us expendable.

Please get informed and educated, kill HB1226, and start passing laws expanding organic farming and laws requiring the labeling of our food products so that we know what we are eating.

Jacques Bargiel Kailua

Celebrating Hawaii, nature, culture and wellness for over 35 years!
SURFER, The Bar

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