Hawaii won't ban genetically altered coffee, a decision that worries
growers of the prized Kona coffee brand who want to keep it pure.
State lawmakers shelved a bill that would have prohibited growing
genetically modified coffee in Hawaii until 2012. Instead, they want to
order a study into the science, benefits and dangers of genetically enhanced
crops.

Coffee farmers worried that genetically modified coffee could
contaminate expensive Kona blends, which are only grown on Hawaii's Big
Island and exported worldwide.

"The fact that you're creating a 'frankenfood' is very scary. What
will it do to my morning cup of coffee?" asked John Langenstein, sales
manager for Koa Coffee Plantation.

Coffee drinkers in Japan and parts of Europe wouldn't buy Kona coffee
if it becomes mixed up with genetically changed coffee, causing it to lose
its value and uniqueness, Langenstein.

Others argue that genetically modified coffee poses little danger to
Kona coffee because it would be grown on a different island and could
benefit the economy.

One company plans to begin planting a special kind of modified coffee
on Oahu, likely early next year, that grows decaffeinated naturally.

"Our field trials would have absolutely no effect on Kona coffee, so
it doesn't really make sense to ban field trials of transgenic coffee across
the whole state," said John Stiles, chief executive officer for Integrated
Coffee Technologies Inc. "We don't want to be known as the anti-technology
state."

Hawaii lawmakers won't even hear the proposal to impose a moratorium
on genetically modified coffee.

Instead, they'll form a task force to consider the merits of
genetically modified coffee, labeling effectiveness and consumer education,
said Sen. Jill Tokuda, chairwoman for the Senate Committee on Agriculture
and Hawaiian Affairs.

"We need more time to really examine these issues and understand all
of the facts," said Tokuda, D-Kaneohe-Kailua. "When you have a moratorium on
research, that sends a negative message out."

A decaffeinated coffee bean could double Hawaii's overall coffee
production, invigorate the agriculture industry and create new jobs, Tokuda
said.

Even though the genetically altered decaffeinated coffee would be
grown on Oahu, far from the Big Island's Kona coffee fields, its seed could
spread through human dispersal, said Una Greenaway, whose Kuaiwi Farm Kona
Old Style coffee won the top prize at last year's annual Kona Coffee
Cultural Festival's cupping contest.

"We really need to protect our industry. If those plants come to Kona,
we'd be in serious economic trouble," she said at the state Capitol, where
she was joined by a few other coffee growers.

Lisa Gibson, president of the Hawaii Science and Technology Council,
said legislators should avoid passing laws limiting scientific study.

"It's a very slippery slope to begin legislating research," Gibson
said. "If we're going to diversify out state, it needs to be based on
knowledge."


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