Printed in the Maui News

Letters to the Editor, Friday, May 4, 2007

Protecting Taro Production Smokescreen for Activists

After all their complaints that genetic engineering research would harm taro, it is interesting that anti-biotech activists failed to support legislation that is a positive step forward.

With leadership from Sens. Russell Kokubun and J. Kalani English, the 2007 Legislature passed SCR 206, which requested the Department of Agriculture to develop a taro security and purity research program. The program includes exploration of alternative forms of taro research other than genetic engineering.

One would have expected a rallying cry of support from the activists. But this didn’t happen. It seems that a program to stem the decline of taro production in Hawaii was of little interest. What they really wanted was to stop genetic engineering research altogether.

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association member companies are not engaged in taro research because the market is too small. However, we care about the taro issue because we believe farmers should have the best tools available to help defeat invasive species and disease, which includes conventional, organic and biotechnology practices.

Toward this end, we are working with Dr. John Cho, one of the leading taro researchers in the Pacific Islands, on revitalizing his proposal to gather taro cultivars across the state, and review and update efficient taro growing practices in order to preserve taro.

We commend legislators like Sens. Kokubun and English and House Speaker Calvin Say and Rep. Clift Tsuji for taking decisive action that cuts to the real issues and possible solutions to save Hawaiian taro.

Adolph Helm
President-elect, HCIA
Hoolehua, Molokai