Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 May 2008 — GMO kalo bill [ARTICLE]

GMO kalo bill

A hill that would have imposed a moratorium on the genetic modification of kalo has died in the state Legislature, after the House voted April 8 to recommit the hill to committee, effectively killing it for the session. Farmers who supported the hill in its original form - whieh would have mandated a 10-year moratorium on all varieties of kalo - said they will be back next session with See BRIEFS on pags 28

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increased numbers and are will further work to get their voices heard by targeting legislative seats in the upcoming eleehon. "The concerns are cultural, the concerns are eeonomie, and the concerns are nutritional," said Waipi'o Valley taro farmer and poi seller lim Cain. He said lawmakers that are considered friendly to the cause include Reps. Lyla Berg, Mele Carroll, Maile Shimabukuro and several others. Senate Bill 958 attracted more than seven hours of testimony at a March 19 hearing before the House Agriculture Conunittee. On April 3 the conunittee amended the bill, decreasing the moratorium to five years and restricting the moratorium to Hawaiian varieties, whieh fanners dislike because they say it would pose risks of cross-pollination between modified and non-modified taro. Taro , or kalo, is held sacred to Hawaiians. Those who support genetic modification say it would help fight disease.

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