Companies Create a New Kind of Seed, November 23, 2007, Honolulu Advertiser, by John Russell

Inside bright greenhouses at Dow AgroSciences' sprawling complex, corn plants grow tall and lush, with no signs of rootworms, corn borers or other pests that munch away at crops and farmers' profits.

The corn is grown from biotech seeds that share genes from different types of corn to produce a plant able to resist the toughest pests and weed killers.

Hawaii Seed Crop Business Up Sharply, November 2, 2007, Pacific Business News, by Charlotte Woolard

Labeling Heros, October 26, 2007, Truth About Trade Technology, by Dean Kleckner, Chairman

“We can’t all be heroes,” said Will Rogers. “Somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.”

I’d be happy to sit on the curb and clap--but first a hero has to show up. After reading an article about the 2008 presidential candidates and biotech-food labels in last week’s Des Moines Register, I’m now worried that I may be in for a long wait.

The Register asked the leading candidates, as determined by their poll-tested popularity among Iowa voters, whether they would support a law requiring special labels for GM foods. Unfortunately, not a single one of them replied with the correct answer, which is to oppose labels because they’re completely unnecessary.

Sprouting Interests: Students Visit Seed Plant, June 6, 2007, Kauai World, by Dennis Fujimoto
About a hundred students from 'Ele'ele School and Kekaha School had an opportunity for a close-up view of the seed industry late last week.

"This is an annual event," said Doug Tiffany, the Kaua'i manager for Syngenta, a parent seed processing facility in Kekaha. "We welcome the students to see what we do. It's an opportunity for them to learn about what is involved in the production of seed, as well as learn about how seeds are formed."

Genetically Modified Crops Rooted In Funding, April 30, 2007 Honolulu Advertiser by Sean Hao
The University of Hawai'i is conducting genetically modified crop research
on bananas, tomatoes, petunias and lettuce in an effort to develop hardier,
disease-resistant plants. Researchers at UH's College of Tropical
Agriculture and Human Resources also are trying to develop sugar cane that's
genetically modified to produce a vaccine to protect against rotavirus — a
viral infection that can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting in young
children. The projects have been going on for several years, but have not
been widely publicized. Other ongoing transgenic crop research at UH is
being conducted on pineapple, orchids, anthuriums, taro, papaya and limes.

Monsanto Buys Former Del Monte Site to Raise Biotech Corn, April 5, 2007 Star Bulletin by Nina Wu
Monsanto Co. expands its acreage in the state by purchasing lands once tended by Del Monte Fresh Produce Hawaii.

Protestors Angry Over Taro Slight, March 31, 2007 Hawaii Tribune Herald by Nancy Cook Lauer
Chanting "Clifton Tsuji, hear our bill," roughly 200 protesters stormed his Capitol office Friday, seeking a moratorium on genetically modified taro.

Good For You July 2006, Hawaii Business Magazine by Keala Francis
Overview of the foods we eat in Hawaii, with comments from local farmers that grow crops using organic, conventional and biotechnology practices.