GMO Kalo moratorium bill hearing scheduled
I have been remiss in posting updates about the
GMO kalo moratorium issue and SB
958.First, a hearing has finally been
scheduled for next Wednesday, March 19th, at 8:30 am. before the House Committee
on Agriculture.See the hearing
notice for details, including instructions for submitting testimony.
Please take a moment today and send in testimony in support of SB958. If you are
part of an organization that can submit testimony on letterhead, even better. If
you are on O'ahu, or can make it over from another island, please attend the
hearing in person and make your voice heard. Don't depend on others to take
action! It is each of our kuleana to protect
Haloa.Second, as reported
in the Maui News, yesterday the Maui County Council Public Works and
Facilities Committee passed a resolution in
support of the bill. Kudos to Bill Medeiros, co-chair of the committee and our
Councilmember from Hana, for his leadership in pushing this resolution forward,
and to Steven Ho'okano, kalo farmer from Ke'anae, for rounding up the support of
many kalo farmers and kalo supporters in East
Maui.Last night I helped Steven give a
presentation at a meeting of the Reinstated Hawaiian Government, including
showing Island at
Risk and another new short video by Na Maka O Ka 'Aina featuring
Jerry Konanui called Na Ono o Ka 'Aina about the GMO kalo issue. The
videos were very well received and are an excellent way to get the information
out. If anyone hasn't seen Islands at Risk, I highly recommend it. You
can watch
the video online. I think it is also showing on local cable access
channels, so check local listings and keep your eye out for
it.For more background and action
steps you can take on this issue, see Kahea's GMO page.
Posted: Fri - March 14, 2008 at 10:57 AM