GMO Flacks & HB 727

SUBHEAD: Note their criticism of lawmakers for supporting politically popular legislation. Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work.

By Michael Shootz on 18 March 2013 in Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2013/03/gmo-flacks-hb-727.html)


Image above: Corporations who don't want GMO food labeled and are flacking for the industry. From (http://decryptedmatrix.com/live/infographic-corporations-lobbying-against-gmo-labeling/). Click to enlarge.

Over these past weeks there has been a rash of bills such as SB 590, SB 571, SB 573 and SB 727, introduced in our State Legislature, each of which contains language which would significantly reduce the authority of our elected County officials to pass laws or otherwise support the health and well being of the people, the land and natural resources of Kauai.

SB 727 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 (http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=727)

Last night I reviewed some of the massive amount of testimony (85 MB to download) regarding SB 727. SB 727 is the ordinance which would remove eight words from the Bill, effectively removing from the County Council authority to pass laws protecting the health and well being of the people of Kauai. It was heartening to find testimony from Kauai Mayor Carvalho and Council Members Hooser and Bynum opposing this legislation. The massive outpouring of testimony was 99% in opposition to SB 727.

In light of the overwhelming public sentiment running against SB 727, and these other bills as well, one has had to wonder about the source behind the scenes motivating the introduction of so many bills with the same focus of limiting the rights of We the People and our County elected officials.

The testimony submitted by the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association (HCIA) in support of SB 727 sheds considerable Light on who is influencing our elected officials at the state level. The following description of this organization comes from their own website:

ABOUT HCIA

The HCIA, comprised of member seed companies Dow-AgroScience, Monsanto-DeKalb, DuPont-Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Syngenta and BASF, are proud members of Hawaii's agricultural and life sciences industries. Please visit our site and learn more about the Hawaii seed industry and agriculture biotechnology. http://www.youtube.com/user/hciaonline

To get a further feel for the relationship these chemical company's have with our elected officials at the state level please take a moment to watch this short (three minutes) video of our Governor's talk to the HCIA's annual gathering.


Video above: Hawaii Governor Abercronbie bowing to the chemical companies'new order of GMO agriculture in Hawaii. From (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cum1hbqprm4&list=UUZdP-JP-ePLTk-qfykNdOgQ&index=2)

And below is the official testimony of HCIA in support of SB 727. As you read their testimony you might note the following highlights:

• They cast dispersions on our county elected officials claiming;

"they have misused their elected positions to push politically popular legislation with constituents in order to further their higher office ambitions." And they threaten lawsuits "they put the county at risk of further litigation"

It's interesting to note their criticism of lawmakers for supporting politically popular legislation, which sounds like how democracy is supposed to work.

• Ironically after these negative characterizations of our county officials and their implied threats, HCIA goes on to describe GMO activists, including specifically naming Kauai Rising, as using, "fear and intimidation to pursue their own personal agendas".

• We are portrayed as an extremist minority group using, 

"hysteria, fear mongering, and intimidation",

 while we strive to create our "personal agendas". They fail to mention that our "personal agendas" are about creating a healthy, sustainable, toxic free home in which to live and raise our families.

• They close by stating that they support SB727 because: 

"it gives peace of mind to businesses, including the agricultural community, that common sense will prevail over hysteria, fear mongering and intimidation."

As we witness our families and neighbors getting sick, and our land being poisoned daily, is "the peace of mind of......our agricultural (chemical companies) community" really a sane priority for the highest good of all??

Following the HCIA testimony below I have also included a list of their officers and Board of Directors. Two names you may be familiar with are Scott McFarland who is not only the HCIA Treasurer, but is also the head legal person for Dow Ag and a member of the Kauai Farm Bureau: and Alan Takemoto who, in addition to being an HCIA Board of Director, is also the registered Monsanto Lobbyist who State Senate President Kim appointed to a position of power regarding the deciding to whom Hawaii's water resources are allocated.

This HCIA testimony brings even further clarity to the importance of We the People and our Kauai elected officials working together in unity to support the rights of We the People and the Rights of Nature here on Kauai. As the Light continues to reveal the agendas and severe toxic impacts of these Multi-National Chemical Corporations on our people, and the land that is our home, it is clear that Kauai must take a stand. Change will only come from a well informed, active and courageous grass roots level acting together here at the County level.

Each and every one of you reading this message has a role to play. And if YOU courageously continue to show up and let your voices and actions be heard and seen, we all, together will be successful in creating the healthy, prosperous, sustainable, toxic free home for our families and our communities. TRUTH has amazing power. It is not against anyone. The vision we share, that we are FOR, will benefit EVERYONE!! Let the Light you shine reveal the Truth as we ride this wave.......together. Let it be heard far and wide.

HCIA TESTIMONY

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association Growing the Future of Worldwide Agriculture in Hawaii Testimony by Alicia Maluafiti SB 727 — Relating to Economic Development The House Committee on Judiciary Friday, March 15, 2013 2:00 pm, room 325 Position: Support with Amendments Aloha Chair Rhoads, Vice Chair Har, and members of the Committee. My name is Alicia Maluafiti, Executive Director of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, a nonprofit trade association representing Hawaii seed farmers. We support SB 727 which clarifies the kuleana of county government with the following amendment: In section S46-1.5 (13), HCIA proposes that the bill retain the original language found in the statute related to the protection of health, life and property, but retain the new federal language. some lawmakers have misused their elected positions to push politicallypopular legislation with constituents in order to further their higher office ambitions.Sadly — These ordinances are not only fiscally irresponsible to the unknowing tax payer but they put the county at risk of further litigation by being unable to effectively implement and enforce laws that are not the kuleana of county government. More often, these laws promote a culture of NIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard) by pitting counties against counties. For the business community, these practices are troublesome because they create a patchwork quilt of laws for companies with statewide operations. Ineffect, they interfere with economic development opportunities by addingunnecessary levels of bureaucracy that should be governed by state or even federal authorities that have the resources and expertise to better regulatecertain activities. Some examples of bills and ordinances in which the counties overstepped their kuleana include: 1. A Hawaii island ban on biotechnology in which Mayor Kim cited the "difficulty, if not impossibility," of enforcing the ban. Agricultural biotechnology is regulated by the state and federal government. 2. A Maui island ordinance restricting commercial aquarium fishing which was passed by the county council after failed attempts at the state level. The activity is currently regulated by the state and federal government and subsequently shut down the aquarium fisherman businesses. 3. A Hawaii island dairy farmer growing genetically engineered corn to feed his cows is harassed by activists who announce their intention to ban the growing of GMO corn on the island. There are only two remaining dairies in Hawaii and this dairy farmer faces catastrophic economic losses if the county is successful in passing and ordinance at the whim of constituents.= 4. Hawaii's seed farmers who face an onslaught of threats by GMO activists who have fear and intimidation to push their personal agendas. The industry is the most regulated commodity in the nation but some county lawmakers see opportunity in riding a political wave of opposition to shut down the industry and put 2,000 employees on the state's unemployment roll. 5. A group called Kauai Rising which not only targets the seed farmers, but who has proposed ordinances that directly call for the pre-emption of federal and state laws. This extreme group is comprised of the same vocal minority that shut down the Super Ferry. 6. A Hawaii island lawmaker who believed that vaccines caused autism and who pushed to ban vaccinations on the island.

CONCLUSION
What might be popular opinion is not always the pono position. Lawmakers must take the high road and often are forced to make the unpopular policy decision — sometimes putting their own re-election at risk. 

But counties have a wealth of responsibilities already: roads, sewers, trash, water, police, fire, emergency services, parks and recreation. They do not have Departments of Education, Health, Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources.

This bill simply reminds lawmakers at all levels of government of their kuleana to introduce and pass appropriate laws that are uniform and can be addressed by their respective governing bodies. And it gives peace of mind to businesses, including the agricultural community, that common sense will prevail over hysteria, fear mongering and intimidation.

         Join Kauai Rising at kauairising@gmail.com .

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