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Organic corn ‘outbreak’ reported
by Rachel Gehrlein on 28 March 2008 in The Garden Island News
In an attempt to make a statement about genetically modified corn on
Kaua‘i, a loose conglomeration of community members has started to
distribute organic corn seeds and corn seedlings island-wide.
According to Lauren Shaw-Meek, a manager at Vim & Vigor in Lihu‘e,
the idea of the organic corn “outbreak” is to bring attention to what
the group sees as the perils of GMO corn. By poking fun at the
possibility of an organic corn “outbreak” the message is a little
lighter and may reach a wider audience.
“It’s a rebellion of sorts,” Shaw-Meek said.
The idea that the organic corn can cross-pollinate with GMO corn puts
those at risk who do not want to eat the GMO corn, Shaw-Meek added.
“The GMO companies do open-air testing with pesticides and herbicides,”
Westside resident Diana LaBedz said. “The ground becomes sterile,
destroying the land for future generations.”
LaBedz, a member of the Kaua‘i chapter of the Surfrider Foundation,
said she is participating in the corn outbreak to help educate people
on what is going on around the world on the GMO front.
“World citizens have lost the right to know if corn bought to feed
families has been chemically modified (contains the pesticide in the
corn),” LaBedz said in a e-mail. “There is a concern that our corn will
be contaminated by the GMO crops that pepper Kaua‘i island, next to
schools, rivers and in our neighborhoods. Kaua‘i’s citizens reject the
philosophy that we must poison our environment and use the radical
genetic engineering of plants and animals to produce enough food for
everyone.”
Because of this belief, organic seeds, plants and even organic popcorn
have been given out around the island.
During Monday night’s movie night at Small Town Coffee in Kapa‘a,
organic popcorn was handed out to moviegoers. The Storybook Theatre in
Hanapepe plans to distribute the organic popcorn during their family
movie night on April 4th.
Free organic corn seeds were given out at the Lotus Root in Kapa‘a,
Farsyde Tattoo in Hanapepe, Koloa Natural Foods, Papaya’s in Kapa‘a and
Vim & Vigor in Lihu‘e.
Shaw-Meek said the free organic corn seeds “went like hotcakes” at Vim
& Vigor
.
“They went over amazingly well,” Shaw-Meek said. “I’m not surprised the
seeds flew out of here because people are excited about the planting
season.”
According to LaBedz, most locations are already “sold out” of seeds.
“We have more seeds, we just need to distribute them,” she said.
Agreeing that the group is within its rights to express its message,
one research scientist would like to work with them. According to Sarah
Styan, a research scientist with Pioneer Seeds and president of the
Hawai‘i Crop Improvement Association, farmers around the world are
demanding biotec agriculture.
“The whole basis of our business is selling seeds of genetic purity and
maintaining the genetic integrity of agriculture,” Styan said. “And
just like any business, we are getting product out as fast as possible.”
Styan added that all types of agriculture, including organic, biotec
and conventional, are needed to maintain sustainability.
“We need everybody working together,” Styan said. “If we work together,
we can make agriculture stronger and improve sustainability.”
LaBedz said Kaua‘i can’t be sustainable with GMO crops.
“If you can’t protect your air, water and land we can’t be
sustainable,” LaBedz said. “What they (GMO companies) are doing is
permanent. We can’t roll back and undo it.”
[Editor's
Note: The following are comments emailed to us concerning restrictions
GMO companies have been able to have local property owners enforce on
lessess and rentors.]
My
understanding is that the large private land owners Robinson, A&B
and Grove Farm all have a paragraph in the lease that anyone who leases
from them may not grow corn. So it is a law of the lease contract.
Robinson, A&B and Grove Farm all lease to one or more gmo companies
on multiple sites.
The
leases with the GMO companies gives them the sole right to grow corn on
all of the owners land. I am not sure if there are any areas where you
could lease land (from these owners) to grow corn, but I doubt it.
I am not sure how it works on the state land, some of it is being used
for corn I believe.
There was a public notice many years back asking people not to grow
corn while they are starting their corn. I think it was more a request
than a law.
There could be more to this that I am not aware of. I do remember there
being a letter sent out to ask people not to grow corn. Not sure which
group was contacted, if it was farmers island wide or all west side
residents.
The seed bank folks are excited to grow corn and help distribute seed
and corn plants. They love the art work and text, very easy to
understand.
Mahalo,
Jeri
De Pietro OFSTONE@aol.com
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It
was a few years ago when they forced all that corn out of the Mana to
Polihale area. I know that the state told them they couldn't do it. I
think it was in the paper.
I
think it was DLNR and there was some Military stuff but I heard from
the corn farmer's son that it was mainly the GMO corn contamination
issue - the farmers contaminating THEM - that cinched it for getting
the farmers out. The pressure from the base didn't help matters though.
Mahalo,
Andy
Parx andyparx@yahoo.com
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image above: The No-GMO Popper at Small Town Coffee is
wheeled into place
