Wednesday, March 12, 2008

GMO Taro Gets a Hearing

WHAT: The House Agriculture Committee will hear a bill proposing a moratorium on genetically modified taro. SB958,SD1,HD1 imposes a 10-year moratorium on developing, testing, propagating, cultivating, growing and raising genetically engineered taro in Hawaii.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 19, 2008- 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: State Capitol - Auditorium

WHO: Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture - Rep. Clift Tsuji

ISSUE: Native Hawaiians believe that taro, or kalo, is a revered ancestor of the Hawaiian people and should not be genetically altered. Researchers believe that in order to protect the taro from disease, we must modify its structure with resistant genes from other plants.

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