Barb’s Note: You do not have to live in Hawaii to sign!
Aloha e kakou,
It is being reported by people attempting to speak to Council members Kanuha, Kern and the Mayor by phone or appointment, that they are being rebuffed. They are receiving communications from all sides and probably not reading emails sent to them about Bill 113.
The priority is to send a hard copy letter to Mayor Kenoi immediately, as he may be planning to veto the bill in the next couple of days.
Councilmembers Zendo and Kanuha voted YES to pass Bill 113. It is counterproductive at this time to send any negative comments or long messages to further educate them on GMOs. Put yourself in their shoes to see if you would rather receive aloha from supporters or negative messages from the opposition. Short, heartfelt aloha and mahalo messages and thanks in advance for voting to override a veto by the mayor would be welcomed by them and would probably preserve their YES votes. Contact for Mayor Kenoi and Councilmembers attached.
(1) SIGN THE PETITION ASKING THE MAYOR TO SIGN BILL 113
GMO-Free Hawaii Island is going to present this petition to Mayor Kenoi on Tuesday, November 26, at 9:45 a.m., at his office in the Hilo County Building. PLEASE SHOW UP TO SUPPORT HIM!
It has over 2,600 signers and will continue to gather signatures whether the mayor signs or vetoes the bill, and the petition can then also be used to urge the council to override his veto as it is written to accommodate both scenarios. Please continue to circulate it.
(2) SIGN-ON TO A LETTER TO THE MAYOR and COUNCIL
If you produce food of any kind, even if it is just to feed yourself, let us add your name to this letter that will be sent to Mayor Kenoi in a couple of days. To be included on the letter, please reply to this email – gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com, with the message: “Yes, I want to sign the letter to Mayor Kenoi,” and include your full name, company name if any, what you grow, and your town. For gathering real signatures, a copy of this letter is attached and can be printed out if you know farmers and others who would like to sign it. Their names can later be typed into an email and sent to gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com with the message same YES message as above.
LETTER to MAYOR KENOI AND HAWAII ISLAND COUNTY COUNCIL, IN SUPPORT OF BILL 113
We the undersigned, represent organizations, businesses, family farms and individuals who are committed to providing safe and nutritious food for our families, our friends, our community and our state, for this and for future generations.
We encompass agricultural producers at all different levels of production, as well as those whose businesses support farming practices on this island.
We support Bill 113 as passed by the County Council because:
We believe that food sustainability must protect the soils, the micro-organisms in the soils;
We believe that food sustainability must protect beneficial insects such as honey bees;
We believe that food sustainability must provide for seed security;
We believe that food sustainability must protect groundwater resources and waters that run into the ocean;
We believe that food sustainability must protect the biodiversity of our island.
We are committed to the centuries-old, sustainable ways of growing and providing food….. those conventional, natural and organic farming practices which minimize harm to the soil, the waters and Beneficial Insects, and which protect the seed supply and the diversity of plant life on our island.
(3) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: If you haven’t yet, please send an open letter to Mayor Kenoi or the County Council via a letter to the editor.
Hawaii Tribune Herald (limit 300 words)
P. O. Box 767
Hilo, HI 96720
Email: letters@hawaiitribune-herald.com
West Hawaii Today (limit 300 words)
P. O. Box 789
Kailua-Kona, HIU 96745
Email: wht@aloha.net
Big Island Weekly
75-5580 Kuakini Highway
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Mahalo for your support!
GMO-Free Hawaii Island gmofreehawaiiisland.org
Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeHawaiiIsland
Email: gmofreehawaiiisland@gmail.com
Tags: bill 113, Farm Wars, farmwars, genetic engineering, gmo ban, hawaii, Legislation