Voluntary labeling addresses GMO fears

A joint Senate committee recently heard and deferred House Bill 174, a bill to mandate labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO) food.

I applaud the senators for recognizing that the bill was flawed, and for making a common sense decision to study the potential consequences before passing legislation that could increase our grocery bills, boost our taxes and violate the Constitution.

I oppose the mandatory labeling of GMO food, but I support the senators’ recommendation as being responsible and prudent. On an issue as important as the safety and availability of our food supply, using reliable information to understand a bill’s implications is the responsible way of achieving good policy and protecting everyone.

I oppose mandatory labeling because it creates the false impression that there are differences in our food where none exist. Food from GM crops is the same as food from conventional crops, and proven to be safe. The federal government requires labeling of any food if there is a health concern. But there are no health concerns. No one has gotten ill from the technology used to develop GM crops.

We support voluntary labeling. It can provide information to those customers who want it, and avoid the legal and economic burdens of mandatory labeling. If there is a strong consumer demand for labeling, the marketplace will respond.

The labeling debate has been an excuse to attack agriculture in Hawaii, specifically the seed industry and Monsanto. These attacks are not supported by sound science and have become personal. Our employees have been harassed and threatened, and we’ve received threats of destruction to our property and facilities. Opposition groups do not accept that all types of agriculture — conventional, organic and GM — can co-exist. They advocate organic production to the exclusion of all others and have publicly stated their intent to drive the seed industry out of Hawaii.

Monsanto has had operations in Hawaii since 1968. We employ more than 1,000 hard-working people on Oahu, Molokai and Maui. We grow corn in small nurseries the same way corn breeders have done since the 1930s. We build new corn varieties, both GM and conventional, which are sold to farmers around the world. All of the seeds we sell are labeled, and our customers knowingly and willingly purchase them.

Our costs are higher in Hawaii than anywhere else in the world. We operate here because of the ideal weather and a highly trained, competent workforce. They are simply the best in the world at what they do. We have an excellent safety record and maintain strict compliance with state and federal regulations. We are good farmers and are always trying to be better.

I appreciate the desire of people to know more about their food. Choosing non-GM is very simple. If the label states "organic" or "non-GMO," the food has been produced without GM ingredients. There are thousands of foods currently labeled as such in a variety of stores. If the label states that corn, soy, canola or cotton is one of the ingredients, it probably contains GM. More than 90 percent of all corn, soy, canola and cotton grown in North America for the last 10 years is GM because it helps farmers increase their efficiency and production, and reduce pesticide use.

If our goal is to provide factual information to consumers who want it, voluntary labeling can achieve that without the financial burden.

If the intent is to restrain technology that helps improve our food production and generate needless fear in consumers, then mandatory labeling is the expensive, if irresponsible, way to go.