Dedicated to protecting Hawaii from genetically modified organisms through education and action.

1. Hawaii has more test sites per acre than any other state in the nation.  As of November 2002, there were 166 field test being conducted on over 8,000 acres of land.  Genetic Engineering companies will not disclose to the public what genetic tests are being done here or where they are being conducted citing the locations as "confidential business information."

 
2. Birds, bees, and wind can carry genetically engineered pollen great distances where it can contaminate other plants.  Genetically engineered organisms are alive.  Once they escape into the environment, they reproduce & mutate.  They can never be recalled.  This could be fatal to Hawaii’s plants and animals, ninety per cent (more than 10,000 species) of which exist nowhere else on earth.  Currently in Hawaii much time & money is spent clearing invasive species.  How much will we be spending on biotech contamination?

 
3. Pharmcrops, crops that produce drugs & industrial products are being grown on our islands.  Here in Hawaii, part of the AIDS virus and blood thinners have been engineered into corn.  These pharmcrops can cross-pollinate with corn for human and animal consumption.  We have no way of knowing how close pharmcrops are being grown to conventional food crops.

 
4. Mycogen Seeds & Pioneer Hi-Bred International have already been fined for violating EPA safety regulations on the islands of Molokai and Kauai. The EPA said Mycogen failed to use appropriate windblocks that prevent the spread of GE corn pollen to conventional crops. Pioneer was accused of growing its crop 12 miles from their approved location.

 
5. The effects of genetic engineering on people and the aina are unknown.  Almost no independent studies have been done to test the long-term safety of genetic engineering.  Without public warning and without our consent, we are already part of a massive experiment here in Hawaii.  On October 2, 2000, the US District Court in Washington, DC determined in Allliance for Bio-Integrity v. Shalala that: 
The FDA is not regulating GE foods at all.
The FDA’s politically appointed bureaucrats did not follow the advice and warnings of the agency’s scientific staff about GE foods but disregarded them.
There is currently significant disagreement among scientific experts about the safety of GE foods. For example, a new study by Joe Cummins reveals that the GE papaya, approved by the FDA, may contain allergens.
6. Biopiracy is where corporations take out patents on traditional uses of native flora and fauna.  Patent holders have exclusive rights to using the patented method and can charge other users a fee.  By patenting traditional methods, it could rob the common heritage of Hawaii and place it in the hands of private enterprise.

 
7. Genetically engineered crops pose economic threats to farmers who face huge liability risks, should their genetically engineered crop contaminate conventional crops.  Governments often foot the bill for clean up costs.  Also, when fields are contaminated by GE crops, farmers are often charged license fees or sued by seed companies for patent infringement.  Some GE crops have cost more for farmers to grow than conventional crops due to crop failure, reduced yields, and a requirement to use the seed company's herbicides and pesticides. 

 
8. The impact of genetic engineering on Hawaii’s agricultural markets remains unknown.  Japanese and European consumers look unfavorably upon genetic engineering.  Before the GE papaya 90% of the market was Japanese.  Japan does not currently accept any GE papayas.  The Kona coffee market is 60% Japanese.  Many visitors come to Hawaii because of these "exotic" foods.  Ag-tourism and eco-tourism may suffer.

 
9. PBARC (U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center), based in Hilo & funded with many millions of Federal (USDA) dollars, will bring experimental genetic engineering projects to our island in full force.  Where will the field tests for these projects be conducted?  Kau, Hamakua, Puna?  Do you want these organisms wafting into your backyard?  These entirely novel life forms introduced into Hawaii's ecosystem could be fatal to our heritage crops and environment, and destroy our plans for successful diversified agriculture and agricultural self-sufficiency. 

 
10. The long-term economic costs to our community remain unknown for this new industry.  We cannot afford an agricultural system that is economically and environmentally unsustainable and leaves us with a pollution cleanup problem for generations to come.