Kaua'i farmer Chris Kobayashi said farmers have never asked for help from the scientists and that they feel the money can be better spent by helping them researching other issues, such as organic growing or diversifying varieties.

"There's all this talk about disease," Kobayashi said. "The disease can take care of itself, we don't need genetic modification." Meanwhile, she said, there is a genuine worry that genetically modified taro will cross-pollinate and contaminate the taro that she and others grow.