STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1412

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 95

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 95 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESOURCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AND THE HAWAII AGRICULTURE RESEARCH CENTER TO REFRAIN FROM DEVELOPING, TESTING, PROPAGATING, CULTIVATING, RAISING, OR GROWING GENETICALLY MODIFIED TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN TARO VARIETIES IN THE STATE OR CONDUCTING ANY TYPE OF RESEARCH THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN TARO VARIETIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure the preservation of Hawaiian taro varieties by requesting the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center to refrain from activities involving genetic modification of Hawaiian taro varieties in the State, including any type of research that would significantly impact Hawaiian taro varieties.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Kuali‘i Native Hawaiian Advisory Council of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Science & Technology Council, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Tropical Hawaiian Products, and the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.  The Department of Agriculture submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that the advent of biotechnology and genetic modification of foods offer exciting prospects for future challenges by providing for enhanced taste and quality, reduced maturation time, increased nutrients, improved resistance to diseases and pests, and yielding new products and growing techniques.  However, with these new technologies also come potential known and unknown risks, including issues regarding food security, health impacts, ethics, and intellectual property rights.  Your Committees further find that concern has arisen, particularly in the Native Hawaiian community, regarding the use of these technologies on the kalo, also knows as the taro, plant.  The life of kanaka maoli, the indigenous Hawaiian people, is linked closely with kalo, which is believed to have the greatest life force of all foods.

     Your Committees find that preservation of kalo, including all Hawaiian varieties, is an issue of great concern, and efforts must be made to ensure that genetic strains of native taro species not be destroyed, largely out of respect for the cultural foundation kalo holds for Native Hawaiians, their culture, and their religious practices.  Your Committees understand that protecting kalo against potential diseases and pests is also necessary to preserve kalo as well as other crops and food products in the State.  Your Committees wish to strike a cautious balance between the interests involved through requesting the cessation of genetic modification of Hawaiian taro varieties, while allowing for continued discussions to occur to reach an appropriate long-term resolution of this problem.  Additionally, testimony provided indicated that the former practice involving research or genetic modification activities associated with non-Hawaiian taro varieties was conducted in controlled environments, a practice that your Committees would like future research or activities to follow to prevent any inadvertent cross-pollination with Hawaiian taro varieties.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that research or activities involving the genetic modification of non-Hawaiian taro varieties continue; provided that such activities are conducted at isolated and secure sites or laboratories to ensure the prevention of cross-pollination with traditional Hawaiian taro varieties;

     (2)  Encouraging the continuation of ongoing discussions between the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the Hawaiian community regarding the propriety of research or genetic modification of traditional Hawaiian taro varieties;

     (3)  Including a reporting requirement for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to the Legislature; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 95, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 95, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair