By Mark Niesse
Lawmakers have approved a five-year moratorium on genetically
modifying Hawaiian taro in the state, a compromise between researchers and
farmers who consider taro a sacred plant.
The moratorium falls short of the demands of many taro farmers and
Native Hawaiian groups who want taro to remain untampered with forever. They
had sought a 10-year ban on alteration of the crop used to make the starchy
food poi, a key ingredient in island cuisine.

"We wanted to keep taro pure," said Steven Hookano, a Maui taro farmer
carrying a taro plant at the Capitol. "This is nothing but a time out."

Lawmakers approved the moratorium Thursday after more than a year of
protests against genetic alteration from those who consider taro to be an
ancestor of the Hawaiian people. Last year, activists surrounded the offices
of legislators and shouted "Hear our bill!" in an effort to force the issue.

They finally achieved their goal when they got an eight-hour public
hearing and a vote on the measure Thursday. It passed 9-3 in the House
Agriculture Committee as senior House leadership monitored the vote. It now
advances to the full House.

The proposed moratorium does not cover non-Hawaiian taro or Chinese
varieties of taro, meaning altered varieties could potentially
cross-pollinate with Hawaiian taro.

"The taro farmers are not going to be satisfied with this," said Rep.
Colleen Meyer, a Republican, one of three lawmakers who voted against the
bill.

Scientists praised the Legislature's compromise because it protects
cultural rights while allowing research to continue in case deadly crop
diseases reach Hawaii.

While cross-pollination between Chinese and Hawaiian taro varieties is
possible, it's unlikely, said Cindy Goldstein, a manager for Pioneer
Research Communications, a division of DuPont.

Research will help prevent diseases that have already devastated taro
crops in parts of the South Pacific, she said. "In all crops, as a farmer,
you face challenges of pests," she said. "We need research to combat a
serious crop disease."

Genetic modification of taro would involve inserting disease-resistant
genes from rice, wheat and grape crops, altering the basic structure of the
plant.

Taro farmer Chris Kobayashi said the moratorium is meaningless unless
it protects all varieties of the plant.

"Taro is the same whether it's Hawaiian or Chinese," she said after
the hearing. "It should at least be a five-year moratorium for all varieties
of taro."

Lawmakers decided to enact the moratorium after trying to find a way
to appease both researchers and taro growers, said Rep. Clifton Tsuji, a
Democrat and the committee's chairman.

"Supporters of this bill favored the moratorium primarily to protect
taro, which is considered important to Native Hawaiian culture," Tsuji said
before the vote. "Opponents of the moratorium generally indicated that
biotechnology is necessary to increase crop yields, improve pest and disease
resistance and advance scientific research."

Hawaii taro production was estimated at 4.5 million pounds in 2006,
according to the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service. Farm prices
increased 6 percent to an average of 57 cents per pound from the year
before, and the value of sales was estimated at $2.6 million, up 10 percent
from 2005.

No other states have banned genetic modification of any plant, but
some areas of California have placed regional moratoriums on field tests of
genetically modified rice.

www.checkbiotech.org